CVE-2022-23850Public exploit

Application crash via entity translation buffer overflow

Published Jan 23, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Stack-based buffer overflow in epub2txt through 2.02 allows attackers to crash the application when it processes a crafted EPUB document. The xhtml_translate_entity function at src/xhtml.c:576 writes a 305-byte entity expansion into the 20-byte stack-based out buffer without enforcing its capacity. Exploitation requires local users to run epub2txt on the malicious file; the demonstrated consequence is process termination.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.87%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack-based buffer overflow in epub2txt through 2.02 allows attackers to crash the application when it processes a crafted EPUB document. The xhtml_translate_entity function at src/xhtml.c:576 writes a 305-byte entity expansion into the 20-byte stack-based out buffer without enforcing its capacity. Exploitation requires local users to run epub2txt on the malicious file; the demonstrated consequence is process termination.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-23850
Published
Jan 23, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 23, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.8NIST NVDAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

Public exploit references

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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