Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2022-44542 is a critical code-execution flaw in lesspipe before 2.06. If lesspipe processes a malicious Perl Storable .pst file, unsafe deserialization can trigger attacker-controlled object behavior. The provided sources do not show active exploitation, but the impact is severe where untrusted files are inspected automatically.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for servers, desktops, and automation that inspect files from email, support portals, uploads, or shared storage. The business risk is code execution through file handling, not just application compromise.
Technical view
The issue is CWE-502 unsafe deserialization in lesspipe’s handling of Perl Storable files. The CVE describes destructor execution through a key/value pair in a hash, allowing code execution in versions before 2.06. CVSS 3.1 is 9.8, but affected-product metadata in the bundle is incomplete.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Unix/Linux systems with lesspipe before 2.06 where users, mail scanners, file previewers, or automated workflows process untrusted .pst or Perl Storable content.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not cite KEV listing or active exploitation. Exploitation would require the vulnerable lesspipe logic to deserialize a malicious Storable file. Avoid assuming internet-wide remote exploitability without confirming how lesspipe is invoked in your environment.
Researcher notes
Treat this as a deserialization sink in lesspipe’s Perl Storable handling. The provided evidence identifies version 2.06 as the release boundary and Gentoo’s GLSA as vendor guidance, but affected CPE data is absent.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade lesspipe to 2.06 or a vendor-patched package.
- Follow Gentoo GLSA-202211-02 or your distribution’s advisory.
- Avoid processing untrusted .pst or Perl Storable files with vulnerable lesspipe.
- Disable automatic lesspipe previews for untrusted file intake until patched.
- Confirm package updates through official vendor channels.
Validation and detection
- Inventory systems with lesspipe installed.
- Check whether installed lesspipe versions are before 2.06.
- Identify workflows that invoke lesspipe on externally supplied files.
- Verify vendor advisory status for each operating system image.
- Confirm patched systems no longer use vulnerable lesspipe builds.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-502: Code execution behavior lookup
Code execution and unsafe deserialization weaknesses often justify reviewing execution behavior and process telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2022-44542 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://bugs.gentoo.org/865631CVE reference
- https://github.com/wofr06/lesspipe/releases/tag/v2.06CVE reference
- GLSA-202211-02CVE reference · vendor-advisory
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Deserialization of Untrusted Data
Deserialization of Untrusted Data represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.