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Sterling Secure Proxy CVE-2022-22333

MEDIUM
Classic Buffer Overflow (CWE-120)
2022-02-23 psirt@us.ibm.com
6.5
CVSS 3.1 · NVD
View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Buffer copy size validation
MITRE ATT&CK

1 technique across 1 tactic: Execution

The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up.

Impact

CVSS score of 6.5 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: adjacent network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction not required.

Exploit ScenarioDerived

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to overflow a buffer to corrupt adjacent memory. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Why: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9).
Patch available 0.6% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAI

IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.3.0, 6.0.2.0, and 3.4.3.2 and IBM Sterling External Authentication Server are vulnerable a buffer overflow, due to the Jetty based GUI in the Secure Zone not properly. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.5), this vulnerability is no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Buffer Copy without Size Check vulnerability could allow attackers to overflow a buffer to corrupt adjacent memory.

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Always validate buffer sizes before copy operations. Use bounded functions (strncpy, snprintf). Enable compiler protections.

Affects your stack

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Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

This vulnerability is classified as Buffer Copy without Size Check (CWE-120), which allows attackers to overflow a buffer to corrupt adjacent memory. IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.3.0, 6.0.2.0, and 3.4.3.2 and IBM Sterling External Authentication Server are vulnerable a buffer overflow, due to the Jetty based GUI in the Secure Zone not properly validating the sizes of the form content and/or HTTP headers submitted. A local attacker positioned inside the Secure Zone could submit a specially crafted HTTP request to disrupt service. IBM X-Force ID: 219133. Affected products include: Ibm Sterling External Authentication Server, Ibm Sterling Secure Proxy.

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  • Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 6.5 MEDIUM
AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector
Adjacent
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High

DescriptionNVD

IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.3.0, 6.0.2.0, and 3.4.3.2 and IBM Sterling External Authentication Server are vulnerable a buffer overflow, due to the Jetty based GUI in the Secure Zone not properly validating the sizes of the form content and/or HTTP headers submitted. A local attacker positioned inside the Secure Zone could submit a specially crafted HTTP request to disrupt service. IBM X-Force ID: 219133.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score
0.6%
Top 56% exploitable
Data Quality
2 sources
Confidence: Low

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue
Severity MEDIUM
CISA KEV No
Public POC No
EPSS 0.6%
Patch available Yes
Active threat No
Deciding rule
MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9)
What every action level means
Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.
Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.
This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.
This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.
Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived
Scheduled
Exploitation· derived
None
System Exposure· derived
Controlled
Automatable· derived
No
Human Impact· derived
Medium

Priority Score

33
Low Medium High Critical
KEV: 0
EPSS: +1
CVSS: +32
PoC: 0
Weaponized: 0
Threat intel: 0
Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

A buffer overflow occurs when a program writes more data to a memory buffer than it was allocated to hold, causing the excess data to spill into adjacent memory regions.

Affected Products (CPE)NVD

cpe:2.3:a:ibm:sterling_external_authentication_server:3.4.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:sterling_external_authentication_server:6.0.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:sterling_external_authentication_server:6.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:sterling_secure_proxy:3.4.3.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:sterling_secure_proxy:6.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ibm:sterling_secure_proxy:6.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
CVE-2020-4462 HIGH
8.2 Jul 16

IBM Sterling External Authentication Server 6.0.1, 6.0.0, 2.4.3.2, and 2.4.2 and IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.1, 6.0.0,

CVE-2016-6023 HIGH
7.5 Oct 06

Directory traversal vulnerability in the Configuration Manager in IBM Sterling Secure Proxy (SSP) 3.4.2 before 3.4.2.0 i

CVE-2024-41784 HIGH
7.5 Nov 15

IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.0.0, 6.0.0.1, 6.0.0.2, 6.0.0.3, and 6.1.0.0 could allow a remote attacker to traverse dire

CVE-2022-34361 HIGH
7.5 Dec 06

IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.3 uses weaker than expected cryptographic algorithms that could allow an attacker to decry

CVE-2022-22336 HIGH
7.5 Feb 23

IBM Sterling External Authentication Server and IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.3.0, 6.0.2.0, and 3.4.3.2 could allow a re

CVE-2021-29723 HIGH
7.5 Aug 30

IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 2.4.3.2, and 3.4.3.2 uses weaker than expected cryptographic algorithms that cou

CVE-2021-29722 HIGH
7.5 Aug 30

IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.0.1, 6.0.2, 2.4.3.2, and 3.4.3.2 uses weaker than expected cryptographic algorithms that cou

CVE-2021-29725 HIGH
7.5 Jul 15

IBM Secure External Authentication Server 2.4.3.2, 6.0.1, 6.0.2 and IBM Secure Proxy 3.4.3.2, 6.0.1, 6.0.2 could allow a

CVE-2016-6027 MEDIUM
6.1 Oct 06

The Configuration Manager in IBM Sterling Secure Proxy (SSP) 3.4.2 before 3.4.2.0 iFix 8 and 3.4.3 before 3.4.3.0 iFix 1

CVE-2016-6025 MEDIUM
5.9 Oct 06

The Configuration Manager in IBM Sterling Secure Proxy (SSP) 3.4.2 before 3.4.2.0 iFix 8 and 3.4.3 before 3.4.3.0 iFix 1

CVE-2023-32338 MEDIUM
5.5 Sep 05

IBM Sterling Secure Proxy and IBM Sterling External Authentication Server 6.0.3 and 6.1.0 stores user credentials in pla

CVE-2026-78415 MEDIUM
5.4 Sep 14

Authenticated HTML injection in IBM Sterling Secure Proxy 6.2.0.0 through 6.2.1.2 lets a logged-in user plant unescaped

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