CVE-2022-21681

Name: CVE-2022-21681
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2022-01-14T17:15:13.27+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.5/10EPSS 2.74%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2022-21681 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.5/10 on the CVSS scale. Marked is a markdown parser and compiler. Prior to version 4.0.10, the regular expression `inline.reflinkSearch` may cause catastrophic backtracking against some strings and lead to a denial of service (DoS). EPSS estimates a 2.74% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

Marked is a markdown parser and compiler. Prior to version 4.0.10, the regular expression `inline.reflinkSearch` may cause catastrophic backtracking against some strings and lead to a denial of service (DoS). Anyone who runs untrusted markdown through a vulnerable version of marked and does not use a worker with a time limit may be affected. This issue is patched in version 4.0.10. As a workaround, avoid running untrusted markdown through marked or run marked on a worker thread and set a reasonable time limit to prevent draining resources.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS Probability

2.74%

84.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Marked Project	Marked	< 4.0.10
Fedoraproject	Fedora	36

References

https://github.com/markedjs/marked/commit/8f806573a3f6c6b7a39b8cdb66ab5ebb8d55a5f5Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/markedjs/marked/security/advisories/GHSA-5v2h-r2cx-5xgjExploit, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/AIXDMC3CSHYW3YWVSQOXAWLUYQHAO5UX/
https://github.com/markedjs/marked/commit/8f806573a3f6c6b7a39b8cdb66ab5ebb8d55a5f5Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/markedjs/marked/security/advisories/GHSA-5v2h-r2cx-5xgjExploit, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/AIXDMC3CSHYW3YWVSQOXAWLUYQHAO5UX/

Timeline

Published: Jan 14, 2022
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2022-21681?

How severe is CVE-2022-21681?

CVE-2022-21681 has a CVSS score of 7.5/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 2.74% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2022-21681?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2022-21681?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST