CVE-2022-37454

Buffer overflow in sponge queue functions

Workarounds

The problem can be avoided by limiting the size of the partial input data (or partial output digest) below 2^32 - 200 bytes. Multiple calls to the queue system can be chained at a higher level to retain the original functionality. Alternatively, one can process the entire input (or produce the entire output) at once, avoiding the queuing functions altogether.

References

See issue #105 for more details.

The Keccak sponge function interface accepts partial inputs to be absorbed and partial outputs to be squeezed. A buffer can overflow when partial data with some specific sizes are queued, where at least one of them has a length of 2^32 - 200 bytes or more.

An arithmetic operation produces a value that exceeds the integer type's maximum, causing it to wrap to an unexpected small value. Typical impact: incorrect size calculations leading to heap overflows or logic errors.

CVE-2022-37454 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). 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 (1.0.5); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

Already deployed Kodem?

Yes, see commit fdc6fef0.

1. What is CVE-2022-37454? CVE-2022-37454 is a critical-severity integer overflow or wraparound vulnerability in pysha3 (pip), affecting versions <= 1.0.2. It is fixed in 1.0.5. An arithmetic operation produces a value that exceeds the integer type's maximum, causing it to wrap to an unexpected small value.
2. How severe is CVE-2022-37454? CVE-2022-37454 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). 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.
3. Which packages are affected by CVE-2022-37454?
   • pysha3 (pip) (versions <= 1.0.2)
   • sha3 (rubygems) (versions < 1.0.5)
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2022-37454? Yes. CVE-2022-37454 is fixed in 1.0.5. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2022-37454 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2022-37454 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2022-37454 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2022-37454? Upgrade sha3 to 1.0.5 or later.