# CVE-2022-38223: Memory corruption in n/a

> An out-of-bounds write in w3m allows attackers to cause denial of service or potentially execute code via crafted HTML files.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 15 Aug 2022
- **Updated:** 4 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2022-38223, DEBIAN-CVE-2022-38223, DLA-3541-1, GHSA-rf3p-g68h-h93f, MGASA-2023-0006, SUSE-SU-2023:0065-1, SUSE-SU-2023:0066-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-38223, USN-5796-1, USN-5796-2, openSUSE-SU-2024:12612-1

## What is CVE-2022-38223?

CVE-2022-38223 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 15 Aug 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

There is an out-of-bounds write in checkType located in etc.c in w3m 0.5.3. It can be triggered by sending a crafted HTML file to the w3m binary. It allows an attacker to cause Denial of Service or possibly have unspecified other impact.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-38223?

It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `w3m` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP4 | All versions | 0.5.3+git20180125-150000.3.3.1 |
| `w3m` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Real Time 15 SP3 | All versions | 0.5.3+git20180125-150000.3.3.1 |
| `w3m` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 0.5.3.git20161120-161.6.1 |
| `w3m` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | All versions | 0.5.3.git20161120-161.6.1 |
| `w3m` | openSUSE:Leap 15.4 | All versions | 0.5.3+git20180125-150000.3.3.1 |
| `w3m` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 0.5.3+git20180125-2.1 |

Products: Fedoraproject Fedora, Tats W3m.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-38223?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-38223 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-38223 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Fedoraproject Fedora

- [CVE-2024-4577](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4577/): PHP-CGI OS Command Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-39226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-39226/): Grafana Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-5544](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5544/): VMware ESXi and Horizon DaaS OpenSLP Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-4947](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4947/): Google Chromium V8 Type Confusion (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-4671](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4671/): Google Chromium Visuals Use-After-Free (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-38223 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-38223 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Fedoraproject Fedora, published on 15 Aug 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-2022-38223 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Fedoraproject Fedora. 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-2022-38223/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38223/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-38223
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-38223
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-38223

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38223/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.