CVE-2022-45689 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the hutool-json library version 5.8.10. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-787, which corresponds to out-of-bounds write errors, but in this case, it manifests as an out-of-memory (OOM) error. Hutool-json is a Java-based JSON processing library commonly used for parsing and manipulating JSON data. The vulnerability allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to trigger an out-of-memory condition by supplying crafted JSON input that causes the library to consume excessive memory resources. This can lead to denial of service (DoS) by exhausting system memory, potentially crashing the application or severely degrading its performance. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, indicating a high severity, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H. This means the attack can be performed remotely over the network without any privileges or user interaction, and it impacts availability only, without affecting confidentiality or integrity. No specific vendor or product is listed, but hutool-json is a widely used open-source utility in Java applications, often embedded in enterprise software stacks. No patches or known exploits in the wild are currently reported, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to its ease of exploitation and potential to disrupt services relying on this library for JSON processing.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2022-45689 is the risk of denial of service attacks against applications that incorporate the vulnerable hutool-json library. This can affect web services, APIs, and backend systems that process JSON data, leading to service outages or degraded performance. Critical infrastructure sectors such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and government services that rely on Java-based applications may experience operational disruptions. The absence of confidentiality or integrity impact reduces the risk of data breaches, but availability disruptions can still cause significant business continuity issues and reputational damage. Organizations with high transaction volumes or real-time data processing are particularly vulnerable to service degradation. Additionally, the lack of authentication or user interaction requirements means attackers can exploit this vulnerability remotely and at scale, increasing the threat surface. European entities operating in cloud environments or providing SaaS solutions using hutool-json are also at risk of cascading failures affecting multiple customers.

1. Identify and inventory all applications and services using hutool-json version 5.8.10 or earlier. 2. Upgrade to a patched or newer version of hutool-json once available; if no official patch exists, consider applying custom memory limits or input validation to mitigate excessive memory consumption. 3. Implement input validation and JSON schema validation at the application layer to reject malformed or suspicious JSON payloads before processing. 4. Deploy runtime memory monitoring and alerting to detect abnormal memory usage patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Use application-layer firewalls or API gateways to rate-limit and filter incoming JSON requests, reducing the risk of large-scale exploitation. 6. Isolate critical services using containerization or sandboxing to limit the impact of potential DoS conditions. 7. Engage with software vendors or development teams to prioritize remediation and incorporate secure coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities. 8. Regularly review and update incident response plans to address potential availability attacks stemming from this vulnerability.