# CVE-2022-33879: Incomplete fix and new regex DoS in StandardsExtractingContentHandler

> An attacker can cause a denial of service in Apache Tika by exploiting a regular expression vulnerability in the StandardsExtractingContentHandler.

- **Severity:** Low 3.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Jun 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-33879, GHSA-6q8v-2hvm-fx37, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-33879

## What is CVE-2022-33879?

CVE-2022-33879 is a low-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache Tika, published on 27 Jun 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The initial fixes in CVE-2022-30126 and CVE-2022-30973 for regexes in the StandardsExtractingContentHandler were insufficient, and we found a separate, new regex DoS in a different regex in the StandardsExtractingContentHandler. These are now fixed in 1.28.4 and 2.4.1.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-33879?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.tika:tika. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.tika:tika` | Maven | All versions | 1.28.4 |
| `org.apache.tika:tika` | Maven | All versions | 1.28.4 |
| `org.apache.tika:tika` | Maven | From 2.0.0 | 2.4.1 |
| `org.apache.tika:tika` | Maven | From 2.0.0 | 2.4.1 |

Products: Apache Tika.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-33879?

Upgrade org.apache.tika:tika to a fixed version for your release line: 1.28.4 or 2.4.1.

## Is CVE-2022-33879 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-33879 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Tika

- [CVE-2019-10088](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-10088/): Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling in Apache Tika (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-66516](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-66516/): Apache Tika has XXE vulnerability (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2025-54988](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54988/): Apache Tika PDF parser module: XXE vulnerability in PDFParser's handling of XFA (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2018-1335](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1335/): Command injection in org.apache.tika:tika-core (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2019-10094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-10094/): Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling in Apache Tika (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-33879 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-33879 is a low-severity denial of service vulnerability in Apache Tika, published on 27 Jun 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-33879 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.tika:tika (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 1.28.4
- org.apache.tika:tika (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 1.28.4
- org.apache.tika:tika (Maven): affected from 2.0.0; fixed in 2.4.1
- org.apache.tika:tika (Maven): affected from 2.0.0; fixed in 2.4.1

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-2022-33879/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-33879/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-33879
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-33879
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-33879

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-33879/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.