CVE-2025-23015: Apache Cassandra User With MODIFY Permission On Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-wmcc-9vch-jmx4
Share
CVSS 8.8
CWE-267
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-23015 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.8) user with modify permission on vulnerability (CWE-267: Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions) affecting Apache Cassandra libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves user with modify permission on all keyspaces can escalate privileges to superuser via unsafe actions. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 5.0.3, 4.1.8, 4.0.16, 3.11.18, 3.0.31.

CVE-2025-23015 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-23015
GHSA Identifier GHSA-wmcc-9vch-jmx4
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.8
CWE Classification CWE-267: Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions
Affected Product Apache Cassandra
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.8

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2025-23015

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Apache Cassandra dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all fixed: 5.0.3 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.cassandra</groupId>
    <artifactId>cassandra-all</artifactId>
    <version>5.0.3</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all fixed: 4.1.8 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.cassandra</groupId>
    <artifactId>cassandra-all</artifactId>
    <version>4.1.8</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all fixed: 4.0.16 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.cassandra</groupId>
    <artifactId>cassandra-all</artifactId>
    <version>4.0.16</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all fixed: 3.11.18 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.cassandra</groupId>
    <artifactId>cassandra-all</artifactId>
    <version>3.11.18</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all fixed: 3.0.31 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.cassandra</groupId>
    <artifactId>cassandra-all</artifactId>
    <version>3.0.31</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.cassandra

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2025-23015, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.cassandra

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Apache Cassandra in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 5.0.3), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.cassandra command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-267: Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions, where a particular privilege, role, capability, or right can be used to perform unsafe actions that were not intended, even when it is assigned to the correct entity. In Apache Cassandra, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions vulnerability in Apache Cassandra. An user with MODIFY permission ON ALL KEYSPACES can escalate privileges to superuser within a targeted Cassandra cluster via unsafe actions to a system resource. Operators granting data MODIFY permission on all keyspaces on affected versions should review data access rules for potential breaches. This issue affects Apache Cassandra through 3.0.30, 3.11.17, 4.0.15, 4.1.7, 5.0.2. Users are recommended to upgrade to versions 3.0.31, 3.11.18, 4.0.16, 4.1.8, 5.0.3, which fixes the issue.

CVE-2025-23015 Affected Apache Cassandra Versions

5 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
5.0.34.1.84.0.163.11.183.0.31
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all
maven/org.apache.cassandra/cassandra-all
Maven
≥ 5.0-alpha1
< 5.0.3
5.0.3
org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all
maven/org.apache.cassandra/cassandra-all
Maven
≥ 4.1-alpha1
< 4.1.8
4.1.8
org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all
maven/org.apache.cassandra/cassandra-all
Maven
≥ 4.0-alpha1
< 4.0.16
4.0.16
org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all
maven/org.apache.cassandra/cassandra-all
Maven
≥ 3.1
< 3.11.18
3.11.18
org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all
maven/org.apache.cassandra/cassandra-all
Maven
< 3.0.31
3.0.31

References

NVD — CVE-2025-23015 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-23015
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/cassandra/commit/6207a305ba2b0cebc3241e00a843ab5dbf86d2ed
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/cassandra/commit/f33267c8fae6d71166886efc3e7ddda4114ebeef
Apache Cassandra Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/cassandra
lists.apache.org/thread/jmks4msbgkl6... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread/jmks4msbgkl65ssg69x728sv1m0hwz3s
Apache Cassandra Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250214-0006
Apache Cassandra Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/02/03/2
Apache Cassandra Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/02/11/1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-23015?
CVE-2025-23015 is a security vulnerability in Apache Cassandra involving User with MODIFY permission on ALL KEYSPACES can escalate privileges to superuser via unsafe actions under CWE-267: Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions.
Which Apache Cassandra versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 5.0.3, 4.1.8, 4.0.16, 3.11.18, 3.0.31 across affected packages: org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all.
What version fixes CVE-2025-23015?
Upgrading to 5.0.3, 4.1.8, 4.0.16, 3.11.18, 3.0.31 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is cassandra-all affected?
Yes, org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all is affected in releases prior to 5.0.3, 4.1.8, 4.0.16, 3.11.18, 3.0.31. Upgrade your dependency to 5.0.3, 4.1.8, 4.0.16, 3.11.18, 3.0.31 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-23015?
CVE-2025-23015 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-23015?
CVE-2025-23015 is classified under CWE-267: Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions (A particular privilege, role, capability, or right can be used to perform unsafe actions that were not intended, even when it is assigned to the correct entity.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2025-23015?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.cassandra'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-wmcc-9vch-jmx4",
  "modified" : "2025-02-18T22:30:54Z",
  "published" : "2025-02-04T12:30:59Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-23015" ],
  "summary" : "Apache Cassandra: User with MODIFY permission on ALL KEYSPACES can escalate privileges to superuser via unsafe actions",
  "details" : "Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions vulnerability in Apache Cassandra. An user with MODIFY permission ON ALL KEYSPACES can escalate privileges to superuser within a targeted Cassandra cluster via unsafe actions to a system resource. Operators granting data MODIFY permission on all keyspaces on affected versions should review data access rules for potential breaches.\n\nThis issue affects Apache Cassandra through 3.0.30, 3.11.17, 4.0.15, 4.1.7, 5.0.2.\n\nUsers are recommended to upgrade to versions 3.0.31, 3.11.18, 4.0.16, 4.1.8, 5.0.3, which fixes the issue.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "5.0-alpha1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "5.0.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.1-alpha1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.1.8"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.0-alpha1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.0.16"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "3.1"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.11.18"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.cassandra:cassandra-all"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.0.31"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-23015"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/cassandra/commit/6207a305ba2b0cebc3241e00a843ab5dbf86d2ed"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/cassandra/commit/f33267c8fae6d71166886efc3e7ddda4114ebeef"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/cassandra"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread/jmks4msbgkl65ssg69x728sv1m0hwz3s"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250214-0006"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/02/03/2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/02/11/1"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-267" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-02-04T18:32:00Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-02-04T10:15:09Z"
  }
}