# CVE-2022-2973: MZ Automation libIEC61850 NULL Pointer Dereference

> An attacker can crash the server by triggering a NULL pointer dereference in the libIEC61850 library.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 23 Sep 2022
- **Updated:** 16 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8cpp-2498-rv3h

## What is CVE-2022-2973?

CVE-2022-2973 is a high-severity vulnerability in MZ Automation libIEC61850, published on 23 Sep 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

MZ Automation's libIEC61850 (versions 1.4 and prior; version 1.5 prior to commit a3b04b7bc4872a5a39e5de3fdc5fbde52c09e10e) uses a NULL pointer in certain situations. which could allow an attacker to crash the server.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-2973?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Mz-Automation Libiec61850.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-2973?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-2973 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-2973 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-2973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in MZ Automation libIEC61850

- [CVE-2022-2970](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2970/): MZ Automation libIEC61850 Stack-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2022-2972](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2972/): MZ Automation libIEC61850 Stack-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-45970](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-45970/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-45971](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-45971/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-19185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-19185/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-2973 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-2973 is a high-severity vulnerability in MZ Automation libIEC61850, published on 23 Sep 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-2022-2973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: MZ Automation libIEC61850. 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-2022-2973/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2973/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-2973
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-2973
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-2973

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2973/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.