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protobuf — security advisory

Type: advisorySources: OSVAdvisory ID: DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171

A parsing issue with binary data in protobuf-java core and lite versions prior to 3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6 and 3.16.3 can lead to a denial of service attack. Inputs containing multiple instances of non-repeated embedded messages with repeated or unknown fields causes objects to be converted back-n-forth between mutable and immutable forms, resulting in potentially long garbage collection pauses. We recommend updating to the versions mentioned above.

Products
protobuf
Affected versions
Not specified
Fixed versions
3.21.9-3
CVEs
CVE-2022-3171
Confirmed fixed CVEs
Not specified
Updated in this feed
30 Oct 2026, 14:57 UTC · Revision 1

Source evidence

DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171

core-osv · Original source

Published 12 Oct 2022, 23:15 UTC

A parsing issue with binary data in protobuf-java core and lite versions prior to 3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6 and 3.16.3 can lead to a denial of service attack. Inputs containing multiple instances of non-repeated embedded messages with repeated or unknown fields causes objects to be converted back-n-forth between mutable and immutable forms, resulting in potentially long garbage collection pauses. We recommend updating to the versions mentioned above.

osv:DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171

protobuf

Fixed versions: 3.21.9-3

protobuf

Fixed versions: 3.21.9-3

protobuf

Fixed versions: 3.21.9-3

Complete source record
{
  "id": "503b78d3ee43a2ed654dc0162a95f29e59d0ba71ee68763338c4a49699658632",
  "url": "https://osv.dev/vulnerability/DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171",
  "method": "structured",
  "payload": {
    "kind": "advisory",
    "title": "DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171",
    "summary": "A parsing issue with binary data in protobuf-java core and lite versions prior to 3.21.7, 3.20.3, 3.19.6 and 3.16.3 can lead to a denial of service attack. Inputs containing multiple instances of non-repeated embedded messages with repeated or unknown fields causes objects to be converted back-n-forth between mutable and immutable forms, resulting in potentially long garbage collection pauses. We recommend updating to the versions mentioned above.",
    "evidence": "osv:DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171",
    "products": [
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "protobuf",
          "evidence": "/affected/0/package/name"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [
          {
            "value": "3.21.9-3",
            "evidence": "/affected/0/ranges"
          }
        ],
        "affected_versions": []
      },
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "protobuf",
          "evidence": "/affected/1/package/name"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [
          {
            "value": "3.21.9-3",
            "evidence": "/affected/1/ranges"
          }
        ],
        "affected_versions": []
      },
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "protobuf",
          "evidence": "/affected/2/package/name"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [
          {
            "value": "3.21.9-3",
            "evidence": "/affected/2/ranges"
          }
        ],
        "affected_versions": []
      }
    ],
    "severity": "high",
    "structured": {
      "id": "DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171",
      "aliases": [
        "DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171"
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "type": "CVSS_V3",
          "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
        }
      ],
      "affected": [
        {
          "ranges": [
            {
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM",
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                },
                {
                  "fixed": "3.21.9-3"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "package": {
            "name": "protobuf",
            "purl": "pkg:deb/debian/protobuf?arch=source&distro=bookworm",
            "ecosystem": "Debian:12"
          },
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "https://storage.googleapis.com/debian-osv/debian-cve-osv/DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171.json"
          },
          "ecosystem_specific": {
            "urgency": "not yet assigned"
          }
        },
        {
          "ranges": [
            {
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM",
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                },
                {
                  "fixed": "3.21.9-3"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "package": {
            "name": "protobuf",
            "purl": "pkg:deb/debian/protobuf?arch=source&distro=trixie",
            "ecosystem": "Debian:13"
          },
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "https://storage.googleapis.com/debian-osv/debian-cve-osv/DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171.json"
          },
          "ecosystem_specific": {
            "urgency": "not yet assigned"
          }
        },
        {
          "ranges": [
            {
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM",
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                },
                {
                  "fixed": "3.21.9-3"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "package": {
            "name": "protobuf",
            "purl": "pkg:deb/debian/protobuf?arch=source&distro=forky",
            "ecosystem": "Debian:14"
          },
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "https://storage.googleapis.com/debian-osv/debian-cve-osv/DEBIAN-CVE-2022-3171.json"
          },
          "ecosystem_specific": {
            "urgency": "not yet assigned"
          }
        }
      ],
      "modified": "2026-10-15T08:02:38.446694892Z",
      "provider": "osv",
      "upstream": [
        "CVE-2022-3171"
      ],
      "references": [
        "https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2022-3171"
      ]
    },
    "related_cves": [
      {
        "value": "CVE-2022-3171",
        "evidence": "/upstream"
      }
    ],
    "security_relevant": true,
    "severity_evidence": "/severity/0/score"
  },
  "source_id": "core-osv",
  "document_id": 323838,
  "published_at": "2022-10-12T23:15:09.807+00:00"
}