# CVE-2022-32221: Use after free in https://github.com/curl/curl

> A use-after-free flaw in libcurl allows attackers to cause memory corruption or information disclosure when reusing handles for POST requests after PUT.

- **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:** 5 Dec 2022
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2022-32221, ALSA-2023:0333, AZL-38548, CLEANSTART-2026-JF72424, CLSA-2022-1667515188, CLSA-2022-1671123782, CLSA-2022-1671123986, CLSA-2022-1671124217, CLSA-2022-1671126165, CURL-CVE-2022-32221, DEBIAN-CVE-2022-32221, ECHO-e9f0-a28c-f71c, GHSA-grfr-78m7-q35q, JLSEC-2026-396, MGASA-2022-0405, OESA-2022-2039, OESA-2022-2040, RHSA-2023:0333, RLSA-2023:0333, SUSE-SU-2022:3769-1, SUSE-SU-2022:3770-1, SUSE-SU-2022:3773-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-32221, USN-5702-2, openSUSE-SU-2024:12714-1

## What is CVE-2022-32221?

CVE-2022-32221 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Apple Macos, published on 5 Dec 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

When doing HTTP(S) transfers, libcurl might erroneously use the read callback (`CURLOPT_READFUNCTION`) to ask for data to send, even when the `CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS` option has been set, if the same handle previously was used to issue a `PUT` request which used that callback. This flaw may surprise the application and cause it to misbehave and either send off the wrong data or use memory after free or similar in the subsequent `POST` request. The problem exists in the logic for a reused handle when it is changed from a PUT to a POST.

Weakness: CWE-668 (Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere), CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-32221?

It affects 9 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `curl` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl-minimal` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl-devel` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl-minimal` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl-minimal-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl-minimal-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl-minimal` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl-minimal-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl-minimal` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `libcurl-minimal-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::baseos | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl` | Rocky Linux:9 | All versions | 0:7.76.1-19.el9_1.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-ESPOS | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL | All versions | 7.37.0-37.85.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-BCL | All versions | 7.37.0-37.85.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 7.60.0-11.49.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-BCL | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | All versions | 7.60.0-11.49.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | All versions | 7.60.0-11.49.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Manager Proxy 4.1 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Manager Retail Branch Server 4.1 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | SUSE:Manager Server 4.1 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |
| `curl` | openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.2 | All versions | 7.66.0-150200.4.42.1 |

Products: Apple Macos, Debian Debian Linux, Haxx Curl, Netapp Clustered Data Ontap, Netapp H300s Firmware, Netapp H410s Firmware, Netapp H500s Firmware, Netapp H700s Firmware, Splunk Universal Forwarder.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-32221?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2022-32221 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-32221 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apple Macos

- [CVE-2026-65400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-65400/): Apple macOS Improper Authentication (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-44146](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-44146/): Security feature bypass in macOS (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-44148](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-44148/): Security feature bypass in macOS (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2023-38586](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38586/): Security feature bypass in macOS (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2023-40455](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-40455/): Security feature bypass in macOS (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-32221 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-32221 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Apple Macos, published on 5 Dec 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-32221 exists.

Affected product: Apple Macos. 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-2022-32221/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-32221/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-32221
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-32221
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-32221

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-32221/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.