# CVE-2022-23852: Integer overflow in n/a

> A signed integer overflow in libexpat's XML_GetBuffer can cause denial of service when XML_CONTEXT_BYTES is nonzero.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** A-221255869, ALPINE-CVE-2022-23852, ASB-A-221255869, AZL-7835, CLEANSTART-2026-SH01727, DEBIAN-CVE-2022-23852, GHSA-h83g-c7g2-6r9h, JLSEC-2025-50, RHSA-2022:4834, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-23852

## What is CVE-2022-23852?

CVE-2022-23852 is a critical vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 24 Jan 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Expat (aka libexpat) before 2.4.4 has a signed integer overflow in XML_GetBuffer, for configurations with a nonzero XML_CONTEXT_BYTES.

Weakness: CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-23852?

It affects 7 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `expat` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.4::baseos | All versions | 0:2.2.5-4.el8_4.3 |
| `expat-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.4::baseos | All versions | 0:2.2.5-4.el8_4.3 |
| `expat-debugsource` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.4::baseos | All versions | 0:2.2.5-4.el8_4.3 |
| `expat-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.4::baseos | All versions | 0:2.2.5-4.el8_4.3 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Libexpat Project Libexpat, Netapp Clustered Data Ontap, Netapp Oncommand Workflow Automation, Oracle Communications Metasolv Solution, Siemens Sinema Remote Connect Server, Tenable Nessus.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-23852?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2022-23852 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-23852 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/Satheesh575555/external_expat_AOSP10_r33_CVE-2022-23852 (github_poc): https://github.com/Satheesh575555/external_expat_AOSP10_r33_CVE-2022-23852

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-23852 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-23852 is a critical vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 24 Jan 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-23852 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23852/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23852/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-23852
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-23852
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-23852

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-23852/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.