Summary
Denial-of-Service when binding invalid parameters in sqlite3
Affected versions of sqlite3 will experience a fatal error when supplying a specific object in the parameter array. This error causes the application to crash and could not be caught. Users of sqlite3 v5.0.0, v5.0.1 and v5.0.2 are affected by this. This issue is fixed in v5.0.3. All users are recommended to upgrade to v5.0.3 or later. Ensure there is sufficient sanitization in the parent application to protect against invalid values being supplied to binding parameters as a workaround.
Impact
CVE-2022-21227 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (5.0.3); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2022-21227? CVE-2022-21227 is a high-severity security vulnerability in sqlite3 (npm), affecting versions >= 5.0.0, < 5.0.3. It is fixed in 5.0.3.
- How severe is CVE-2022-21227? CVE-2022-21227 has a CVSS score of 7.5 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of sqlite3 are affected by CVE-2022-21227? sqlite3 (npm) versions >= 5.0.0, < 5.0.3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2022-21227? Yes. CVE-2022-21227 is fixed in 5.0.3. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2022-21227 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-21227 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2022-21227 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2022-21227? Upgrade
sqlite3to 5.0.3 or later.