CVE-2022-3116Network attack vector

Application crash via malformed SPNEGO token

Published Mar 27, 2023 · Updated Feb 24, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in Heimdal Kerberos 5 allows remote attackers to crash SPNEGO-enabled applications with a crafted negTokenInit token. In lib/gssapi/spnego/accept_sec_context.c, a flawed acceptor_start condition bypasses the missing-mechanism error path when mechToken is absent, leaving an unset mechanism OID for later dereference. The target must link the affected Heimdal libgssapi code and permit SPNEGO; the bounded consequence is an application crash.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.89%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Heimdal Kerberos 5 allows remote attackers to crash SPNEGO-enabled applications with a crafted negTokenInit token. In lib/gssapi/spnego/accept_sec_context.c, a flawed acceptor_start condition bypasses the missing-mechanism error path when mechToken is absent, leaving an unset mechanism OID for later dereference. The target must link the affected Heimdal libgssapi code and permit SPNEGO; the bounded consequence is an application crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-3116
Published
Mar 27, 2023
Updated
Feb 24, 2025
Vendor
Heimdal Kerberos Project
Product
Heimdal Kerberos
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 24, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=Heimdal Software Kerberos 5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Heimdal Kerberos Project · Heimdal Kerberosversion=Heimdal Software Kerberos 5

Published CVSS scores

7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
7.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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