# CVE-2022-42252: Apache Tomcat request smuggling via malformed content-length > Attackers can perform request smuggling if Tomcat is configured to ignore invalid headers, potentially bypassing security controls. - **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 1 Nov 2022 - **Updated:** 6 May 2025 - **Also known as:** BIT-tomcat-2022-42252, CLEANSTART-2026-AT03088, CLSA-2026-1793133072, DEBIAN-CVE-2022-42252, GHSA-p22x-g9px-3945, OESA-2023-1058, ROOT-APP-MAVEN-CVE-2022-42252, SUSE-SU-2022:4193-1, SUSE-SU-2022:4303-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-42252, USN-6880-1 ## What is CVE-2022-42252? CVE-2022-42252 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, published on 1 Nov 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim. ### Official description If Apache Tomcat 8.5.0 to 8.5.82, 9.0.0-M1 to 9.0.67, 10.0.0-M1 to 10.0.26 or 10.1.0-M1 to 10.1.0 was configured to ignore invalid HTTP headers via setting rejectIllegalHeader to false (the default for 8.5.x only), Tomcat did not reject a request containing an invalid Content-Length header making a request smuggling attack possible if Tomcat was located behind a reverse proxy that also failed to reject the request with the invalid header. Weakness: CWE-444 (Inconsistent Interpretation of HTTP Requests) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-42252? 15 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core, tomcat and org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core` | Maven | From 10.0.0-M1 | 10.0.27 | | `org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core` | Maven | From 10.0.0-M1 | 10.0.27 | | `org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core` | Maven | From 10.1.0-M1 | 10.1.1 | | `org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core` | Maven | From 10.1.0-M1 | 10.1.1 | | `org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core` | Maven | From 8.5.0 | 8.5.83 | | `org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core` | Maven | From 8.5.0 | 8.5.83 | | `org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core` | Maven | From 9.0.0-M1 | 9.0.68 | | `org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core` | Maven | From 9.0.0-M1 | 9.0.68 | | `tomcat` | Bitnami | From 8.5.0 | 8.5.83, 9.0.68, 10.0.27, 10.1.1 | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote` | Maven | From 10.0.0-M1 | 10.0.27 | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote` | Maven | From 10.0.0-M1 | 10.0.27 | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote` | Maven | From 10.1.0-M1 | 10.1.1 | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote` | Maven | From 10.1.0-M1 | 10.1.1 | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote` | Maven | From 9.0.0-M1 | 9.0.68 | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote` | Maven | From 9.0.0-M1 | 9.0.68 | | `tomcat` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL | All versions | 8.0.53-29.57.1 | | `tomcat` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-BCL | All versions | 8.0.53-29.57.1 | | `tomcat` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 9.0.36-3.93.1 | | `tomcat` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 9.0.36-3.93.1 | | `tomcat` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4 | All versions | 9.0.36-3.93.1 | | `tomcat` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | All versions | 9.0.36-3.93.1 | | `tomcat` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 9 | All versions | 9.0.36-3.93.1 | | `tomcat` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 | All versions | 9.0.36-3.93.1 | Products: Apache Tomcat. ## How do I fix CVE-2022-42252? Upgrade org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core to a fixed version for your release line: 10.0.27, 10.1.1, 8.5.83 or 9.0.68. ## Is CVE-2022-42252 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-42252 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Tomcat - [CVE-2025-24813](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24813/): Apache Tomcat Path Equivalence (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2016-8735](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8735/): Apache Tomcat Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2017-12617](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12617/): Apache Tomcat Remote Code Execution (high 8.1, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2017-12615](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12615/): Apache Tomcat on Windows Remote Code Execution (high 8.1, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-34486](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34486/): Apache Tomcat Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data (high 7.5, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2022-42252 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2022-42252 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, published on 1 Nov 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-2022-42252 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (Maven): affected from 10.0.0-M1; fixed in 10.0.27 - org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (Maven): affected from 10.0.0-M1; fixed in 10.0.27 - org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (Maven): affected from 10.1.0-M1; fixed in 10.1.1 - org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (Maven): affected from 10.1.0-M1; fixed in 10.1.1 - org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (Maven): affected from 8.5.0; fixed in 8.5.83 - org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (Maven): affected from 8.5.0; fixed in 8.5.83 - org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (Maven): affected from 9.0.0-M1; fixed in 9.0.68 - org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (Maven): affected from 9.0.0-M1; fixed in 9.0.68 - tomcat (Bitnami): affected from 8.5.0; fixed in 8.5.83, 9.0.68, 10.0.27, 10.1.1 - org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote (Maven): affected from 10.0.0-M1; fixed in 10.0.27 - org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote (Maven): affected from 10.0.0-M1; fixed in 10.0.27 - org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-coyote (Maven): affected from 10.1.0-M1; fixed in 10.1.1 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-2022-42252/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42252/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-42252 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-42252 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-42252 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-42252/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.