dbcve.org
OpenofficeApplication · Apache

CVE-2022-38745

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-03-24
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 4.1.14 or later.
See remediation →
81/100
Remediation priority · High
No privileges

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Apache OpenOffice versions before 4.1.14 may be configured to add an empty entry to the Java class path. This may lead to run arbitrary Java code from the current directory.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Apache OpenOffice before 4.1.14 allows configuration of Java class path entries. When an empty entry exists in the class path, Java's classloader will search the current working directory for classes. An attacker can place malicious Java class files in the directory from which OpenOffice is launched, causing arbitrary code execution when OpenOffice loads those classes.

MitigationUpgrade to OpenOffice 4.1.14 or later to remediate. Additionally, ensure no empty entries exist in Java classpath configuration and avoid launching OpenOffice from directories containing untrusted files.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
OpenofficeApplication
Affected:< 4.1.14

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
Required
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

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

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Verify OpenOffice version
    Open OpenOffice and go to Help > About, or run 'soffice --version' from command line, and note the displayed version number
    Affected if The version is lower than 4.1.14 (for example, 4.1.13, 4.1.12, etc.)
  2. Confirm Java integration is enabled
    Open OpenOffice, navigate to Tools > Options > Java, and check whether Java support is enabled
    Affected if Java is enabled and the Java runtime is configured in OpenOffice
  3. Inspect Java class path configuration
    In the same Java options panel, access the Class Path section and review the entries listed there
    Affected if Any entry in the class path list is empty or blank, or if the class path contains unresolved or missing path references
  4. Consider working directory context
    Identify the directory from which OpenOffice is typically launched (check desktop shortcuts, scripts, or how users initiate the application)
    Affected if OpenOffice is launched from directories that may contain untrusted files, particularly directories writable by other users or shared locations

You are affected if OpenOffice version is below 4.1.14 AND Java is enabled with an empty class path entry, especially if launched from a directory with untrusted files.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 4.1.14 or later
Fixed in 4.1.14
Interim mitigation

Upgrade to OpenOffice 4.1.14 or later to remediate. Additionally, ensure no empty entries exist in Java classpath configuration and avoid launching OpenOffice from directories containing untrusted files.

Recommended fix High confidence

4.1.14

  1. Backup any important documents and data stored in OpenOffice before proceeding
  2. Download Apache OpenOffice version 4.1.14 from the official Apache OpenOffice website (www.openoffice.org) or the Apache downloads page
  3. Uninstall the current version of Apache OpenOffice from your system
  4. Install the downloaded version 4.1.14 following the standard installation procedure for your operating system
  5. After installation, verify the version by opening OpenOffice and checking Help > About Apache OpenOffice to confirm version 4.1.14 is installed

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Openoffice Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
6.0 hours of engineering $1,060
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,696.

Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-38745 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data