# CVE-2021-22569: A potential Denial of Service issue in protobuf-java

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-22569-a-potential-denial-of-service-issue-in-protobuf-java  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2022-01-07  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2021-22569 · Severity: low · CVSS 3.1 · Published 2022-01-07

A potential Denial of Service issue in protobuf-java

Technologies: [com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/com-google-protobuf-protobuf-java), [com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin (Maven)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/com-google-protobuf-protobuf-kotlin), [google-protobuf (RubyGems)](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/rubygems-google-protobuf). Vendors: [Maven](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/maven), [RubyGems](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/rubygems).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2021-22569 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2021-22569 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2021-22569?** Low severity, with a CVSS score of 3.1, published 7 January 2022.

**Which products and versions are affected?** com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.16.1; com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.18.0,fixed=3.18.2; google-protobuf (RubyGems) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.19.2.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2021-22569?** Yes. com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (Maven): upgrade to 3.16.1 or later; com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin (Maven): upgrade to 3.18.2 or later; google-protobuf (RubyGems): upgrade to 3.19.2 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**Am I affected by CVE-2021-22569?** Check whether you run com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (Maven), com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin (Maven) or google-protobuf (RubyGems) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## How to fix

- com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (Maven): upgrade to 3.16.1 or later

  ```sh
  # set com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java to 3.16.1 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```

- com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin (Maven): upgrade to 3.18.2 or later

  ```sh
  # set com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin to 3.18.2 in your pom.xml or build.gradle
  ```

- google-protobuf (RubyGems): upgrade to 3.19.2 or later

  ```sh
  bundle update google-protobuf
  ```


## Affected products

- com.google.protobuf:protobuf-java (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.16.1
- com.google.protobuf:protobuf-kotlin (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=3.18.0,fixed=3.18.2
- google-protobuf (RubyGems) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=0,fixed=3.19.2

## Identifiers

- CVE-2021-22569
- GHSA-wrvw-hg22-4m67

## Related threats

- [protobuf-java has potential Denial of Service issue](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2024-7254-protobuf-java-has-potential-denial-of-service-issue)
- [Protobuf Java vulnerable to Uncontrolled Resource Consumption](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-3510-protobuf-java-vulnerable-to-uncontrolled-resource-consumption)
- [Protobuf Java vulnerable to Uncontrolled Resource Consumption](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-3509-protobuf-java-vulnerable-to-uncontrolled-resource-consumption)
- [protobuf-java has a potential Denial of Service issue](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2022-3171-protobuf-java-has-a-potential-denial-of-service-issue)
- [Withdrawn Advisory: NULL Pointer Dereference in Protocol Buffers](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2021-22570-withdrawn-advisory-null-pointer-dereference-in-protocol-buffers)