HIGH CVSS 7.8
Published: 2022-08-22

CVE-2022-38171

xpdfreader xpdf Security Advisory (CVE-2022-38171)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2022-38171 impacting xpdfreader xpdf. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 7.8 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
Xpdf prior to version 4.04 contains an integer overflow in the JBIG2 decoder (JBIG2Stream::readTextRegionSeg() in JBIG2Stream.cc). Processing a specially crafted PDF file or JBIG2 image could lead to a crash or the execution of arbitrary code. This is similar to the vulnerability described by CVE-2021-30860 (Apple CoreGraphics).

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Local (AV:L)
Requires local system execution permissions
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
Required (UI:R)
User must click or open resource
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product xpdfreader / xpdf
Affected Versions 4.04
Weakness Enumeration CWE-190

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2022-38171 impacting xpdfreader xpdf.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2022-38171.yaml
id: cve-2022-38171

info:
  name: xpdfreader xpdf - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2022-38171 affecting xpdfreader xpdf.
    Evaluation: Xpdf prior to version 4.04 contains an integer overflow in the JBIG2 decoder (JBIG2Stream::readTextRegionSeg() in JBIG2Stream.cc). Processing a specia...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2022-38171
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 7.8
    cve-id: CVE-2022-38171
    cwe-id: CWE-190
  tags: cve,cve-2022-38171,xpdfreader,xpdf,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "xpdf"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2022-38171.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2022-38171
# Target: xpdfreader xpdf | CVSS: 7.8 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2022-38171 (xpdfreader xpdf)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against xpdfreader xpdf scope (4.04).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2022-38171.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2022-38171
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install xpdf 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade xpdf 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update xpdf

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i xpdf 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i xpdf

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2022-38171 in xpdfreader xpdf?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update xpdfreader xpdf packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2022-38171?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2022-38171?

CVE-2022-38171 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 7.8 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
7.8
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2022-38171
Weakness CWE-190
Vendor xpdfreader
Product xpdf
Published 2022-08-22
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H