# CVE-2022-40009: Use after free in n/a

> A heap-use-after-free in SWFTools allows attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service via crafted TTF files.

- **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:** No
- **Published:** 20 Sep 2022
- **Updated:** 28 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-j58c-4rjr-572h, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-40009

## What is CVE-2022-40009?

CVE-2022-40009 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Swftools Swftools, published on 20 Sep 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

SWFTools commit 772e55a was discovered to contain a heap-use-after-free via the function grow_unicode at /lib/ttf.c.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-40009?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Swftools Swftools.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-40009?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-40009 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-40009 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-40009 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in Swftools Swftools

- [CVE-2022-40008](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40008/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2010-1516](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-1516/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2024-26339](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-26339/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2024-25165](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-25165/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-11096](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11096/): Null dereference in n/a (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-40009 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-40009 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Swftools Swftools, published on 20 Sep 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-2022-40009 exists.

Affected product: Swftools Swftools. 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-2022-40009/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40009/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-40009
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-40009
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-40009

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-40009/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.