CVE-2022-4904Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Process crash via unchecked sort-list segment copy

Published Mar 6, 2023 · Updated Dec 2, 2025

Stack-based buffer overflow in c-ares before 1.19.0 allows remote attackers to crash a process via a crafted sort-list string. Within config_sortlist, ares_set_sortlist passes unchecked segment lengths to memcpy for fixed stack buffers ipbuf and ipbufpfx. Reachability requires a consuming application to pass attacker-controlled configuration text to the public API; overflow can crash that process or cause limited memory disclosure or corruption.

CVSS severity8.6
High
EPSS probability1.22%
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 c-ares before 1.19.0 allows remote attackers to crash a process via a crafted sort-list string. Within config_sortlist, ares_set_sortlist passes unchecked segment lengths to memcpy for fixed stack buffers ipbuf and ipbufpfx. Reachability requires a consuming application to pass attacker-controlled configuration text to the public API; overflow can crash that process or cause limited memory disclosure or corruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-4904
Published
Mar 6, 2023
Updated
Dec 2, 2025
Vendor
c-ares Project
Product
c-ares
Classifications
CWE-1284, CWE-20, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 6, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 2, 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=unknown

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

c-ares Project · c-aresversion=unknown

Published CVSS scores

6.9SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:L
8.6CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:H
8.6NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/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.

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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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-1284Improper Validation of Specified Quantity in Input
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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