CVE-2022-24196 in iText
Summary
by MITRE • 02/01/2022
iText v7.1.17 was discovered to contain an out-of-memory error via the component readStreamBytesRaw, which allows attackers to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) via a crafted PDF file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-24196 affects iText version 7.1.17 and represents a critical denial of service flaw stemming from improper memory management within the readStreamBytesRaw component. This issue manifests when the library processes specially crafted PDF files that exploit memory allocation patterns, leading to excessive memory consumption and eventual system resource exhaustion. The vulnerability resides in the core PDF parsing functionality that handles stream data processing, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered by any PDF file that contains malformed stream data structures. The flaw demonstrates characteristics consistent with CWE-400, which catalogs improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for resource exhaustion attacks. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability by crafting malicious PDF documents that cause the readStreamBytesRaw function to continuously allocate memory without proper cleanup, ultimately exhausting available system resources and rendering the target application or system unavailable to legitimate users.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the memory management mechanisms within iText's PDF processing pipeline, specifically targeting the readStreamBytesRaw function that is responsible for reading raw byte streams from PDF objects. When processing malformed PDF files, the function fails to properly validate or limit memory allocation during stream data processing, causing exponential memory growth. This behavior occurs because the library does not implement adequate bounds checking or memory consumption limits when handling stream data, allowing attackers to craft PDF documents with recursive or excessively large stream structures. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the library level rather than the application level, meaning that any application utilizing iText 7.1.17 for PDF processing becomes susceptible to this attack vector. The memory exhaustion occurs during the parsing phase of PDF processing, making it impossible for legitimate PDF operations to complete successfully. The flaw also demonstrates characteristics of CWE-770, which addresses allocation of resources without limits or with inadequate limits, and can be classified under ATT&CK tactic TA0040 for resource exhaustion.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-24196 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise entire PDF processing workflows in applications that rely on iText for document handling. Systems running vulnerable versions may experience complete application crashes, memory exhaustion leading to system instability, or complete denial of service for legitimate users attempting to process PDF documents. The vulnerability affects any environment where iText 7.1.17 is integrated, including web applications, document management systems, and enterprise PDF processing platforms. Organizations using vulnerable versions face the risk of extended downtime, potential data loss, and compromised service availability, especially in high-throughput environments where PDF processing is critical to business operations. The attack surface is broad as any PDF file processing capability within applications using iText becomes a potential target, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments with open PDF upload functionality or automated PDF processing workflows. The memory exhaustion can occur rapidly, often within seconds of processing a malicious document, making detection difficult and response times critical.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-24196 primarily focus on immediate version updates to iText 7.1.18 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the memory management issues within the readStreamBytesRaw component. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems are updated promptly, particularly in environments where PDF processing is a core function. Additional protective measures include implementing memory limits and resource constraints on PDF processing applications, adding input validation and sanitization for PDF files, and deploying monitoring systems to detect unusual memory consumption patterns. Network-level protections such as PDF file filtering and sandboxing mechanisms can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. Security teams should also consider implementing automated scanning for vulnerable iText versions in their application environments and establish incident response procedures specifically for handling memory exhaustion attacks. Organizations should review their PDF processing workflows to identify and limit the exposure of vulnerable components, while also ensuring proper logging and alerting mechanisms are in place to detect potential exploitation attempts. The patch implementation addresses the root cause by introducing proper memory allocation limits and validation checks within the readStreamBytesRaw function, preventing the unbounded memory growth that previously enabled this denial of service condition.