CVE-2022-45146: bouncycastle fips_java_api Use After Free

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2022-45146 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) Use After Free vulnerability in bouncycastle fips_java_api. EPSS estimates a 0.43% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 35.9% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.

Timeline

1. 21-11-2022
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 03-08-2024
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

An issue was discovered in the FIPS Java API of Bouncy Castle BC-FJA before 1.0.2.4. Changes to the JVM garbage collector in Java 13 and later trigger an issue in the BC-FJA FIPS modules where it is possible for temporary keys used by the module to be zeroed out while still in use by the module, resulting in errors or potential information loss. NOTE: FIPS compliant users are unaffected because the FIPS certification is only for Java 7, 8, and 11.

• CWE-416Use After FreeThe product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory "belongs" to the code that operates on the new pointer.