CVE-2022-20785Network attack vector

Denial of service via HTML parser memory leak

Published May 4, 2022 · Updated Nov 6, 2024

A memory leak in the ClamAV library in Cisco Secure Endpoint allows remote attackers to cause a service interrupt with crafted HTML. During HTML parsing and JavaScript normalization, the embedded engine fails to release memory consumed while processing attacker-controlled content. An affected connector must scan the crafted file; continued memory consumption can exhaust resources and cause a denial-of-service condition.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability7.01%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A memory leak in the ClamAV library in Cisco Secure Endpoint allows remote attackers to cause a service interrupt with crafted HTML. During HTML parsing and JavaScript normalization, the embedded engine fails to release memory consumed while processing attacker-controlled content. An affected connector must scan the crafted file; continued memory consumption can exhaust resources and cause a denial-of-service condition.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20785
Published
May 4, 2022
Updated
Nov 6, 2024
Vendor
ClamAV
Product
Cisco Secure Endpoint
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 4, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=n/a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

ClamAV · Cisco Secure Endpointversion=n/a

Published CVSS scores

7.5Cisco Systems, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H/E:X/RL:X/RC:X

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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