CVE-2022-39384 | OpenZeppelin Contracts initializer reentrancy may lead to double initialization

OpenZeppelin Contracts is a library for secure smart contract development. Before version 4.4.1 but after 3.2.0, initializer functions that are invoked separate from contract creation (the most prominent example being minimal proxies) may be reentered if they make an untrusted non-view external call. Once an initializer has finished running it can never be re-executed. However, an exception put in place to support multiple inheritance made reentrancy possible in the scenario described above, breaking the expectation that there is a single execution. Note that upgradeable proxies are commonly initialized together with contract creation, where reentrancy is not feasible, so the impact of this issue is believed to be minor. This issue has been patched, please upgrade to version 4.4.1. As a workaround, avoid untrusted external calls during initialization.

Published: 2022-11-04 Last update: 2024-11-21 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2022-39384 is rated Moderate Risk (46.9/100): CVSS Medium severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.60%). Mandatory action: Review affected assets and schedule remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2022-39384

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2025-11-06 0.10% 0.60% +0.50%
2 2025-03-30 0.15% 0.10% -0.05%
3 2025-03-29 0.15%

Full EPSS history (8 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2022-39384

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
5.6 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:L)
Some sensitive info could get out, but not a total data dump.
Integrity (I:L)
Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:L)
Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.
2.2 3.4 [email protected]
5.6 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:L)
Some sensitive info could get out, but not a total data dump.
Integrity (I:L)
Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:L)
Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.
2.2 3.4 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2022-39384

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2022-39384

GHSA-9c22-pwxw-p6hx · Severity: medium · Ecosystem: npm — OpenZeppelin Contracts initializer reentrancy may lead to double initialization

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2022-39384

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
openzeppelin contracts >= 3.2.0, < 4.4.1 cpe:2.3:a:openzeppelin:contracts:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*
openzeppelin contracts_upgradeable >= 3.2.0, < 4.4.1 cpe:2.3:a:openzeppelin:contracts_upgradeable:*:*:*:*:*:node.js:*:*

References for CVE-2022-39384

cvelogic Threat Intelligence