CVE-2022-45688 is a high-severity vulnerability identified as a stack overflow in the XML.toJSONObject component of the hutool-json library, specifically version 5.8.10. Hutool-json is a Java-based utility library widely used for JSON and XML processing. The vulnerability arises when the XML.toJSONObject function processes crafted JSON or XML data that triggers a stack overflow condition. This overflow occurs due to improper handling of recursive or deeply nested structures, leading to excessive consumption of stack memory. The consequence of this flaw is a Denial of Service (DoS) attack, where an attacker can cause the affected application to crash or become unresponsive by sending maliciously crafted input data. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 reflects the vulnerability's high impact on availability, with no requirements for authentication or user interaction, and it can be exploited remotely over the network. There are no known exploits in the wild as of the published date, and no vendor patches or updates have been explicitly linked. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), indicating that the stack overflow results from writing outside the allocated stack memory bounds during parsing operations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-45688 primarily involves service disruption due to Denial of Service attacks targeting applications that utilize the vulnerable hutool-json library for XML/JSON processing. This can affect web services, APIs, and backend systems that rely on this component, potentially leading to downtime, degraded performance, and loss of availability. Critical infrastructure sectors such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and government services that depend on Java-based applications may experience operational interruptions. Although the vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity directly, the availability impact can cascade into business continuity issues, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR mandates on service availability), and reputational damage. The lack of authentication or user interaction requirements increases the risk of automated exploitation attempts, making exposed internet-facing services particularly vulnerable. Given the absence of known exploits, the threat is currently theoretical but warrants proactive mitigation to prevent future exploitation.

To mitigate CVE-2022-45688, European organizations should first identify all applications and services that incorporate hutool-json version 5.8.10 or earlier. Since no official patch links are provided, organizations should consider upgrading to a later, patched version of hutool-json if available or apply custom fixes to the XML.toJSONObject component to handle recursive parsing safely and prevent stack overflow. Implement input validation and size limits on XML and JSON payloads to restrict deeply nested or excessively large inputs that could trigger the vulnerability. Employ runtime protections such as Java Security Manager policies or sandboxing to limit the impact of potential crashes. Additionally, deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block suspicious XML/JSON payloads exhibiting abnormal nesting or size characteristics. Monitor application logs for crashes or unusual parsing errors indicative of exploitation attempts. Finally, incorporate this vulnerability into incident response and vulnerability management workflows to ensure timely detection and remediation.