CVE-2022-21698: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption in promhttp
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 32/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 5.9% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 93.3% of all records.
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- According to CISA the attack is automatable: targets can be found by mass scanning.
- Fixed version: aardvark-dns (AlmaLinux:8) 2:1.0.1-27.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44; buildah (AlmaLinux:8) 1.19.9-6.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf, 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44; buildah-tests (AlmaLinux:8) 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44, 1.19.9-6.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf.
- Mentioned 4 times in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).
Low priority for now. Upgrade to aardvark-dns (AlmaLinux:8) 2:1.0.1-27.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44; buildah (AlmaLinux:8) 1.19.9-6.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf, 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44; buildah-tests (AlmaLinux:8) 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44, 1.19.9-6.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
client_golang is the instrumentation library for Go applications in Prometheus, and the promhttp package in client_golang provides tooling around HTTP servers and clients. In client_golang prior to version 1.11.1, HTTP server is susceptible to a Denial of Service through unbounded cardinality, and potential memory exhaustion, when handling requests with non-standard HTTP methods. In order to be affected, an instrumented software must use any of `promhttp.InstrumentHandler*` middleware except `RequestsInFlight`; not filter any specific methods (e.g GET) before middleware; pass metric with `method` label name to our middleware; and not have any firewall/LB/proxy that filters away requests with unknown `method`. client_golang version 1.11.1 contains a patch for this issue. Several workarounds are available, including removing the `method` label name from counter/gauge used in the InstrumentHandler; turning off affected promhttp handlers; adding custom middleware before promhttp handler that will sanitize the request method given by Go http.Request; and using a reverse proxy or web application firewall, configured to only allow a limited set of methods.
- BDU:2022-05475
- GHSA-cg3q-j54f-5p7p
- ALSA-2022:1762
- ALSA-2022:7519
- ALSA-2022:7529
- ALSA-2022:8057
- GO-2022-0322
- GO-2023-1546
- GO-2023-2113
- openSUSE-SU-2024:11965-1
- openSUSE-SU-2024:12259-1
- openSUSE-SU-2024:12400-1
- openSUSE-SU-2026:10634-1
- openSUSE-SU-2026:10644-1
- openSUSE-SU-2026:12271-1
- openSUSE-SU-2026:21379-1
- RHSA-2022:1762
- RHSA-2022:2280
- RHSA-2022:4667
- RHSA-2022:5068
- Published
- Feb 15, 2022
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 5.9% · 93th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-400
Report tools
Action score
32
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 30 / 40 · 7.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 2 / 30 · 5.9%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- yes
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 7.5
- CNA · GitHub_M
- 7.5
- agree
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| prometheus | client golang | cpe:2.3:a:prometheus:client_golang |
| fedoraproject | fedora | cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora |
| fedoraproject | extra packages for enterprise linux | cpe:2.3:a:fedoraproject:extra_packages_for_enterprise_linux |
| rdo project | rdo | cpe:2.3:a:rdo_project:rdo |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- fedoraproject extra packages for enterprise linux7.0
- fedoraproject extra packages for enterprise linux8.0
- fedoraproject fedora34
- fedoraproject fedora35
- fedoraproject fedora36
- fedoraproject fedora37
- prometheus client golangbefore 1.11.1
- rdo project rdoall versions
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (GitHub_M). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
prometheus client_golang
- < 1.11.1affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux:8 | aardvark-dns | before 2:1.0.1-27.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 | 2:1.0.1-27.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | buildah | before 1.19.9-6.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf | 1.19.9-6.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf |
| AlmaLinux:8 | buildah | before 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 | 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | buildah-tests | before 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 | 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | buildah-tests | before 1.19.9-6.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf | 1.19.9-6.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf |
| AlmaLinux:8 | cockpit-podman | before 29-2.module_el8.6.0+2876+9ed4eae2 | 29-2.module_el8.6.0+2876+9ed4eae2 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | cockpit-podman | before 43-1.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5 | 43-1.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | conmon | before 2:2.1.0-1.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5 | 2:2.1.0-1.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | conmon | before 2:2.0.26-3.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf | 2:2.0.26-3.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf |
| AlmaLinux:8 | container-selinux | before 2:2.189.0-1.module_el8.7.0+3406+a17c4180 | 2:2.189.0-1.module_el8.7.0+3406+a17c4180 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | container-selinux | before 2:2.179.1-1.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 | 2:2.179.1-1.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | container-selinux | before 2:2.189.0-1.module_el8.6.0+3336+00d107d5 | 2:2.189.0-1.module_el8.6.0+3336+00d107d5 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | container-selinux | before 2:2.189.0-1.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf | 2:2.189.0-1.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf |
| AlmaLinux:8 | containernetworking-plugins | before 0.9.1-1.module_el8.6.0+2876+9ed4eae2 | 0.9.1-1.module_el8.6.0+2876+9ed4eae2 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | containernetworking-plugins | before 1:1.0.1-2.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 | 1:1.0.1-2.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | containernetworking-plugins | before 0.9.1-1.module_el8.6.0+3136+bfcd65b6 | 0.9.1-1.module_el8.6.0+3136+bfcd65b6 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | containers-common | before 2:1-27.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 | 2:1-27.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | containers-common | before 1:1.2.4-2.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf | 1:1.2.4-2.module_el8.7.0+3297+1eb250cf |
| AlmaLinux:8 | crit | before 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2751+06427ca3 | 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2751+06427ca3 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | crit | before 3.15-1.module_el8.6.0+2876+9ed4eae2 | 3.15-1.module_el8.6.0+2876+9ed4eae2 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | crit | before 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5 | 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | crit | before 3.15-1.module_el8.6.0+3136+bfcd65b6 | 3.15-1.module_el8.6.0+3136+bfcd65b6 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | criu | before 3.15-1.module_el8.6.0+3136+bfcd65b6 | 3.15-1.module_el8.6.0+3136+bfcd65b6 |
| AlmaLinux:8 | criu | before 3.15-1.module_el8.6.0+2876+9ed4eae2 | 3.15-1.module_el8.6.0+2876+9ed4eae2 |
+96
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| almalinux:aardvark-dns | 2:1.0.1-27.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:buildah | 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:buildah-tests | 1:1.24.2-4.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:cockpit-podman | 43-1.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:conmon | 2:2.1.0-1.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:container-selinux | 2:2.179.1-1.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:containernetworking-plugins | 1:1.0.1-2.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:containers-common | 2:1-27.module_el8.6.0+2878+e681bc44 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:crit | 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2751+06427ca3 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:criu | 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2877+8e437bf5 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:criu-devel | 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2751+06427ca3 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| almalinux:criu-libs | 3.15-3.module_el8.6.0+2751+06427ca3 · AlmaLinux:8 | Package registry (OSV) |
| alpine:buildah | 1.23.4-r0 · Alpine:v3.15 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:golang-github-prometheus-client-golang | 1.11.1-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:github.com/prometheus/client_golang | 1.11.1 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/github.com/emicklei/go-restful/otelrestful | 0.44.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/github.com/gin-gonic/gin/otelgin | 0.44.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/github.com/gorilla/mux/otelmux | 0.44.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/github.com/labstack/echo/otelecho | 0.44.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/gopkg.in/macaron.v1/otelmacaron | 0.44.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/net/http/httptrace/otelhttptrace | 0.44.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp | 0.39.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Go:go.opentelemetry.io/contrib/instrumentation/net/http/otelhttp | 0.44.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:ctop | 0.7.7-bp160.2.1 · openSUSE:Leap 16.0 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:firewalld | 0.9.3-150300.3.6.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:golang-github-prometheus-alertmanager | 0.23.0-150100.4.7.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:golang-github-prometheus-node_exporter | 1.3.0-150100.3.12.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:golang-github-prometheus-prometheus | 2.32.1-150100.4.9.2 · openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:golang-github-QubitProducts-exporter_exporter | 0.4.0-16.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:kubeseal | 0.17.4-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
+43
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)
Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.
- TR-23-0309 · May 31, 2023(IBM Güvenlik Bildirimi)
- TR-22-0553 · Aug 16, 2022(RedHat Güvenlik Güncellemesi)
- TR-22-0369 · May 20, 2022(RedHat Güvenlik Güncellemesi)
- TR-22-0348 · May 12, 2022(RedHat Güvenlik Güncellemesi)
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-400 · Uncontrolled Resource ConsumptionCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
nvd-primary
Root cause
Code that parses nested structures sets no depth or size limit. A small input can turn into a disproportionate processing load.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-400 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
function expand(node) {
return node.children.map(expand);
}Fixed
const MAX_DEPTH = 32;
function expand(node, depth = 0) {
if (depth > MAX_DEPTH) throw new Error("too deep");
return node.children.map((c) => expand(c, depth + 1));
}Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (19 more)Show less
- github.com/prometheus/client_golang/pull/987
- github.com/prometheus/client_golang/releases/tag/v1.11.1
- github.com/prometheus/client_golang/security/advisories/GHSA-cg3q-j54f-5p7p
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/2IK53GWZ475OQ6ENABKMJMTOBZG6LXUR/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/2PFW6Q2LXXWTFRTMTRN4ZGADFRQPKJ3D/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/36GUEPA5TPSC57DZTPYPBL6T7UPQ2FRH/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/3L6GDN5S5QZSCFKWD3GKL2RDZQ6B4UWA/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/4KDETHL5XCT6RZN2BBNOCEXRZ2W3SFU3/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/5OGNAFVXSMTTT2UPH6CS3IH6L3KM42Q7/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/7V7I72LSQ3IET3QJR6QPAVGJZ4CBDLN5/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/AK7CJBCGERCRXYUR2EWDSSDVAQMTAZGX/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/DLUJZV3HBP56ADXU6QH2V7RNYUPMVBXQ/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/FY3N7H6VSDZM37B4SKM2PFFCUWU7QYWN/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/HLAQRRGNSO5MYCPAXGPH2OCSHOGHSQMQ/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/J5WPM42UR6XIBQNQPNQHM32X7S4LJTRX/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/KBMVIQFKQDSSTHVVJWJ4QH6TW3JVB7XZ/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/MH6ALXEQXIFQRQFNJ5Y2MJ5DFPIX76VN/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/RN7JGC2LVHPEGSJYODFUV5FEKPBVG4D7/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/SASRKYHT5ZFSVMJUQUG3UAEQRJYGJKAR/
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.