Is CVE-2022-38222 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2022-38222 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2022-38222 be exploited remotely?

No. CVE-2022-38222 requires local access to exploit.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2022-38222?

CVE-2022-38222 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH).

HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2022-38222

HIGH

CVE-2022-38222

CWE-416Published: September 29, 2022· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

There is a use-after-free issue in JBIG2Stream::close() located in JBIG2Stream.cc in Xpdf 4.04. It can be triggered by sending a crafted PDF file to (for example) the pdfimages binary. It allows an attacker to cause Denial of Service or possibly have unspecified other impact.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2022-38222 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-416): Use-after-free vulnerabilities involve accessing memory after it has been freed, often enabling arbitrary code execution.