CVE-2022-22965
Spring Framework JDK 9+ Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
VMware Spring Framework
A Spring MVC or Spring WebFlux application running on JDK 9+ may be vulnerable to remote code execution (RCE) via data binding. The specific exploit requires the application to run on Tomcat as a WAR deployment. If the application is deployed as a Spring Boot executable jar, i.e. the default, it is not vulnerable to the exploit. However, the nature of the vulnerability is more general, and there may be other ways to exploit it.
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 4 April 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 25 April 2022.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 99.6%, which is higher than 99.9% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2022-22965 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2022-22965.
What does CVE-2022-22965 affect?
CVE-2022-22965 affects VMware Spring Framework. A Spring MVC or Spring WebFlux application running on JDK 9+ may be vulnerable to remote code execution (RCE) via data binding. The specific exploit requires the application to run on Tomcat as a WAR deployment. If the application is deployed as a Spring Boot executable jar, i.e. the default, it is not vulnerable to the exploit. However, the nature of the vulnerability is more general, and there may be other ways to exploit it.
How severe is CVE-2022-22965?
CVE-2022-22965 is rated CRITICAL with a CVSS base score of 9.8. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 99.6%, higher than 99.9% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 25 April 2022.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2022-22965?
Apply the vendor patch for VMware Spring Framework as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.