CVE-2022-42889
Text4Shell
Apache Commons Text performs variable interpolation, allowing properties to be dynamically evaluated and expanded. The standard format for interpolation is "${prefix:name}", where "prefix" is used to locate an instance of org.apache.commons.text.lookup.StringLookup that performs the interpolation. Starting with version 1.5 and continuing through 1.9, the set of default Lookup instances included interpolators that could result in arbitrary code execution or contact with remote servers. These lookups are: - "script" - execute expressions using the JVM script execution engine (javax.script) - "dns" - resolve dns records - "url" - load values from urls, including from remote servers Applications using the interpolation defaults in the affected versions may be vulnerable to remote code execution or unintentional contact with remote servers if untrusted configuration values are used. Users are recommended to upgrade to Apache Commons Text 1.10.0, which disables the problematic interpolators by default.
- CVSS
- 9.8Critical
- Exploited in the wild
- Not knownPublic exploit code; not in CISA KEV
- EPSS
- 99.9%chance of exploitation in the next 30 daystop 0.1% of scored CVEsFIRST score of 11 Nov 2026
- Fix
- Patch availablesee the advisories in the references
- Published
- 13 Oct 2022analysed here 12 Nov 2026
Summary
Triage
The summary, impact and action text on this page are written by our AI analysis pipeline, or taken from the NVD description when a CVE was imported from NVD. They are not the vendor's wording: check them against the sources. A longer AI executive summary and technical analysis are generated for signed-in accounts on the Max plan.
Affected products
| Product | Affected versions | Vendor says fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| Apache Software Foundation Apache Commons Text | <= 1.9>= 1.5 and < Apache Commons Text*Vendor says fixed in: not stated |
As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.
Products named in our analysis
- apache:commons_text
- netapp:bluexp
- juniper:security_threat_response_manager
Fix and mitigation
WAF and other mitigations
Can a WAF block it? Partly. AWS WAF and Azure WAF publish WAF rules written for this CVE. Such rules block the known exploit requests and buy time, but attackers can change the request to get past them, so they do not replace the patch.
AWS WAF · 5 rules · since 20 Oct 2022
- Host_localhost_HEADER · Known bad inputs managed rule group
- JavaDeserializationRCE_BODY · Known bad inputs managed rule group
- JavaDeserializationRCE_HEADER · Known bad inputs managed rule group
- JavaDeserializationRCE_QUERYSTRING · Known bad inputs managed rule group
- JavaDeserializationRCE_URIPATH · Known bad inputs managed rule group
Also consider: patch · enable the vendor rule in block mode · remove eval sinks · RASP
Based on WAF vendor rules published for this CVE. We check Cloudflare, AWS, Google Cloud Armor and Azure; for Akamai, Imperva, Fastly, F5, ask your vendor.
Remediation steps (AI-written)
Step-by-step remediation is generated for accounts on the Max plan, for CVEs that match a technology in their stack. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
Exploitation evidence
- CISA KEV catalog
- Not listed as of our last sync.
- Public exploit code
- Yes: 1 on Exploit-DB · 1 Metasploit module · 51 GitHub proofs of concept
- CISA SSVC
- exploitation none, automatable yes, technical impact totalAssessed by CISA 24 Jan 2024 (SSVC 2.0.3). Exploitation is none, poc (public proof of concept) or active.
Exploit-DB
- Apache Commons Text 1.10.0 - Remote Code Executionwebapps, 18 Apr 2025
Metasploit
- exploit/multi/http/apache_commons_text4shellexploit, rank excellent
GitHub proofs of concept
- karthikuj/cve-2022-42889-text4shell-docker76 stars
- kljunowsky/CVE-2022-42889-text4shell58 stars
- ClickCyber/cve-2022-4288940 stars
- SeanWrightSec/CVE-2022-42889-PoC35 stars
and 47 more repositories
Listed so you can judge urgency, not as a recommendation to run anything. GitHub “proofs of concept” are unvetted: some are fake or carry malware. Exploit-DB marks the entries its staff verified.
Timeline
- 13 Oct 2022Published
- 17 Oct 2022First public exploit or proof of concept3 days later
- 24 Jan 2024CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none465 days (about 1 year) later
- 20 Nov 2024CVE record last updated301 days (about 10 months) later
- 12 Nov 2026Analysed by vulneraibility.com722 days (about 2 years) later
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
| Metric | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Attack vector | NetworkReachable over the internet or any routable network. | Reachable over the internet or any routable network. |
| Attack complexity | LowRepeatable attack, no special conditions. | Repeatable attack, no special conditions. |
| Privileges required | NoneThe attacker needs no prior access. | The attacker needs no prior access. |
| User interaction | NoneNo victim action needed. | No victim action needed. |
| Scope | UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component. | Impact stays within the vulnerable component. |
| Confidentiality | HighTotal data disclosure possible. | Total data disclosure possible. |
| Integrity | HighComplete modification possible. | Complete modification possible. |
| Availability | HighFull outage possible. | Full outage possible. |
Common questions
Is CVE-2022-42889 being exploited?
Not confirmed. CVE-2022-42889 does not appear in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which records only exploitation that has been observed and reported publicly. That is evidence of absence of a report, not evidence the flaw is unattacked. EPSS currently estimates a 100% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How severe is CVE-2022-42889?
CVE-2022-42889 is rated Critical with a CVSS score of 9.8. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2022-42889?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2022-42889. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2022-42889 affect?
CVE-2022-42889 affects apache:commons_text, netapp:bluexp, juniper:security_threat_response_manager. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
References
9 references in the CVE record, grouped by the tags the record gives them.
Advisories (1)
- security.gentoo.org /glsa/202301-05
Other links (8)
- lists.apache.org /thread/n2bd4vdsgkqh2tm14l1wyc3jyol7s1om
- openwall.com /lists/oss-security/2022/10/13/4
- openwall.com /lists/oss-security/2022/10/18/1
- security.netapp.com /advisory/ntap-20221020-0004/
- psirt.global.sonicwall.com /vuln-detail/SNWLID-2022-0022
- seclists.org /fulldisclosure/2023/Feb/3
Show 2 more
- packetstormsecurity.com /files/171003/OX-App-Suite-Cross-Site-Scripting-Server-Side-Request-Forgery.html
- packetstormsecurity.com /files/176650/Apache-Commons-Text-1.9-Remote-Code-Execution.html
Where the data on this page comes from
- CVE List (CVE.org): description, affected versions, references; CVE Terms of Use
- NVD: CVSS and CPE data
- CISA Vulnrichment (ADP): SSVC decision points
- FIRST EPSS: exploit probability and percentile
- Exploit-DB: published exploits
- Metasploit Framework: exploit and scanner modules
- PoC-in-GitHub: GitHub repositories that claim a proof of concept
Summary, impact and triage tags: written by our AI analysis pipeline from the sources above. Check them against the sources.
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