CVE-2022-3509Network attack vector

Service interruption via repeated submessage rebuilding

Published Nov 1, 2022 · Updated Apr 22, 2025

Uncontrolled resource consumption in Google Protocol Buffers Java allows remote attackers to interrupt services via crafted TextFormat input. MessageReflection.BuilderAdapter repeatedly builds and merges singular embedded submessages containing repeated or unknown fields, forcing mutable-to-immutable object conversions and excessive allocation. Exposure requires an application to parse attacker-controlled protobuf text containing multiple instances of the same singular embedded message; prolonged garbage collection pauses can stall the hosting JVM without reading or changing data.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.84%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled resource consumption in Google Protocol Buffers Java allows remote attackers to interrupt services via crafted TextFormat input. MessageReflection.BuilderAdapter repeatedly builds and merges singular embedded submessages containing repeated or unknown fields, forcing mutable-to-immutable object conversions and excessive allocation. Exposure requires an application to parse attacker-controlled protobuf text containing multiple instances of the same singular embedded message; prolonged garbage collection pauses can stall the hosting JVM without reading or changing data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-3509
Published
Nov 1, 2022
Updated
Apr 22, 2025
Vendor
Google
Product
Protocol Buffers
Classifications
CWE-400, T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 1, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 22, 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=3.16.0 <3.16.3
  2. Affected versionversion=3.19.0 <3.19.6
  3. Affected versionversion=3.20.0 <3.20.3
  4. Affected versionversion=3.21.0 <3.21.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Google · Protocol Buffersversion=3.16.0 <3.16.3; version=3.19.0 <3.19.6; version=3.20.0 <3.20.3; version=3.21.0 <3.21.7

Published CVSS scores

7.5Google Inc.CVSS: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-400Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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