# CVE-2022-24198: Out-of-bounds Read in iText

> Attackers can cause a Denial of Service via crafted PDF files in iText, though the vendor disputes exploitability.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 Feb 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8c9h-4q7g-fp7h

## What is CVE-2022-24198?

CVE-2022-24198 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in n/a, published on 1 Feb 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

iText v7.1.17 was discovered to contain an out-of-bounds exception via the component ARCFOUREncryption.encryptARCFOUR, which allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted PDF file. NOTE: Vendor does not view this as a vulnerability and has not found it to be exploitable.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-24198?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including com.itextpdf:itext7-core. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `com.itextpdf:itext7-core` | Maven | All versions | 7.2.0 |
| `com.itextpdf:itext7-core` | Maven | All versions | 7.2.0 |

Products: Itextpdf Itext.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-24198?

Upgrade com.itextpdf:itext7-core to 7.2.0 or later.

## Is CVE-2022-24198 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-24198 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-9096](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9096/): Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference in iText (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-24196](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24196/): Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling in iText (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2022-24197](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24197/): Out-of-bounds Write in iText (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2023-6298](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6298/): Apryse iText PdfDocument.java main array index (medium 4.3)
- [CVE-2023-6299](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-6299/): Apryse iText Reference Table PdfDocument.java memory leak (medium 4.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-24198 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-24198 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in n/a, published on 1 Feb 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-24198 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- com.itextpdf:itext7-core (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 7.2.0
- com.itextpdf:itext7-core (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 7.2.0

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-2022-24198/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24198/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-24198
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-24198
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-24198

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-24198/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.