Vulnerabilities in pkg:maven/org.apache.jackrabbit/jackrabbit-webapp

PACKAGE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-q8cm-3v62-jj79
Advisory Summary

CVE-2023-37895 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8) remote code execution vulnerability (CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data) affecting Jackrabbit webapp libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves remote code execution in apache jackrabbit. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.21.18, 2.20.11.

1 Known Advisory Record(s)
Package Vulnerability Intelligence

pkg:maven/org.apache.jackrabbit/jackrabbit-webapp

1 Known Advisory Record(s)

Vulnerability advisories affecting package pkg:maven/org.apache.jackrabbit/jackrabbit-webapp. Select an advisory below to view technical details or fixes.

Advisory ID CVE / NVD Severity Summary
GHSA-q8cm-3v62-jj79 CVE-2023-37895 CRITICAL Remote code execution in Apache Jackrabbit

CVE-2023-37895 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2023-37895
GHSA Identifier GHSA-q8cm-3v62-jj79
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.8
CWE Classification CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data
Affected Product Jackrabbit webapp
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.8

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

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
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-2023-37895

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Jackrabbit webapp 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.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-webapp fixed: 2.21.18
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.jackrabbit</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackrabbit-webapp</artifactId>
    <version>2.21.18</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-webapp fixed: 2.20.11
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.jackrabbit</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackrabbit-webapp</artifactId>
    <version>2.20.11</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone fixed: 2.21.18
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.jackrabbit</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackrabbit-standalone</artifactId>
    <version>2.21.18</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone fixed: 2.20.11
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.jackrabbit</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackrabbit-standalone</artifactId>
    <version>2.20.11</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone-components fixed: 2.21.18
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.jackrabbit</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackrabbit-standalone-components</artifactId>
    <version>2.21.18</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone-components fixed: 2.20.11
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.jackrabbit</groupId>
    <artifactId>jackrabbit-standalone-components</artifactId>
    <version>2.20.11</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.jackrabbit

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2023-37895, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

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

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Jackrabbit webapp in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.21.18), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.jackrabbit 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-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data, where the product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid. In Jackrabbit webapp, 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

Java object deserialization issue in Jackrabbit webapp/standalone on all platforms allows attacker to remotely execute code via RMIVersions up to (including) 2.20.10 (stable branch) and 2.21.17 (unstable branch) use the component "commons-beanutils", which contains a class that can be used for remote code execution over RMI. Users are advised to immediately update to versions 2.20.11 or 2.21.18. Note that earlier stable branches (1.0.x .. 2.18.x) have been EOLd already and do not receive updates anymore. In general, RMI support can expose vulnerabilities by the mere presence of an exploitable class on the classpath. Even if Jackrabbit itself does not contain any code known to be exploitable anymore, adding other components to your server can expose the same type of problem. We therefore recommend to disable RMI access altogether (see further below), and will discuss deprecating RMI support in future Jackrabbit releases. How to check whether RMI support is enabledRMI support can be over an RMI-specific TCP port, and over an HTTP binding. Both are by default enabled in Jackrabbit webapp/standalone. The native RMI protocol by default uses port 1099. To check whether it is enabled, tools like "netstat" can be used to check. RMI-over-HTTP in Jackrabbit by default uses the path "/rmi". So when running standalone on port 8080, check whether an HTTP GET request on localhost:8080/rmi returns 404 (not enabled) or 200 (enabled). Note that the HTTP path may be different when the webapp is deployed in a container as non-root context, in which case the prefix is under the user's control. Turning off RMIFind web.xml (either in JAR/WAR file or in unpacked web application folder), and remove the declaration and the mapping definition for the RemoteBindingServlet:         <servlet>             <servlet-name>RMI</servlet-name>             <servlet-class>org.apache.jackrabbit.servlet.remote.RemoteBindingServlet</servlet-class>         </servlet>         <servlet-mapping>             <servlet-name>RMI</servlet-name>             <url-pattern>/rmi</url-pattern>         </servlet-mapping> Find the bootstrap.properties file (in $REPOSITORY_HOME), and set         rmi.enabled=false     and also remove         rmi.host         rmi.port         rmi.url-pattern  If there is no file named bootstrap.properties in $REPOSITORY_HOME, it is located somewhere in the classpath. In this case, place a copy in $REPOSITORY_HOME and modify it as explained.  

CVE-2023-37895 Affected Jackrabbit webapp Versions

6 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.21.182.20.11
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-webapp
Maven
≥ 2.21.0
< 2.21.18
2.21.18
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-webapp
Maven
≥ 1.0.0
< 2.20.11
2.20.11
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone
Maven
≥ 2.21.0
< 2.21.18
2.21.18
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone
Maven
≥ 1.0.0
< 2.20.11
2.20.11
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone-components
Maven
≥ 2.21.0
< 2.21.18
2.21.18
org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone-components
Maven
≥ 1.0.0
< 2.20.11
2.20.11

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2023-37895?
CVE-2023-37895 is a security vulnerability in Jackrabbit webapp involving Remote code execution in Apache Jackrabbit under CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data.
Which Jackrabbit webapp versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.21.18, 2.20.11 across affected packages: org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-webapp, org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone, org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone-components.
What version fixes CVE-2023-37895?
Upgrading to 2.21.18, 2.20.11 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is jackrabbit-webapp affected?
Yes, org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-webapp is affected in releases prior to 2.21.18, 2.20.11. Upgrade your dependency to 2.21.18, 2.20.11 or later.
Is jackrabbit-standalone affected?
Yes, org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone is affected in releases prior to 2.21.18, 2.20.11. Upgrade your dependency to 2.21.18, 2.20.11 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2023-37895?
CVE-2023-37895 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2023-37895?
CVE-2023-37895 is classified under CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data (The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2023-37895?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.jackrabbit'. 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
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-q8cm-3v62-jj79",
  "modified" : "2025-02-13T19:01:59Z",
  "published" : "2023-07-25T15:30:26Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2023-37895" ],
  "summary" : "Remote code execution in Apache Jackrabbit",
  "details" : "Java object deserialization issue in Jackrabbit webapp/standalone on all platforms allows attacker to remotely execute code via RMIVersions up to (including) 2.20.10 (stable branch) and 2.21.17 (unstable branch) use the component \"commons-beanutils\", which contains a class that can be used for remote code execution over RMI.\n\nUsers are advised to immediately update to versions 2.20.11 or 2.21.18. Note that earlier stable branches (1.0.x .. 2.18.x) have been EOLd already and do not receive updates anymore.\n\nIn general, RMI support can expose vulnerabilities by the mere presence of an exploitable class on the classpath. Even if Jackrabbit itself does not contain any code known to be exploitable anymore, adding other components to your server can expose the same type of problem. We therefore recommend to disable RMI access altogether (see further below), and will discuss deprecating RMI support in future Jackrabbit releases.\n\nHow to check whether RMI support is enabledRMI support can be over an RMI-specific TCP port, and over an HTTP binding. Both are by default enabled in Jackrabbit webapp/standalone.\n\nThe native RMI protocol by default uses port 1099. To check whether it is enabled, tools like \"netstat\" can be used to check.\n\nRMI-over-HTTP in Jackrabbit by default uses the path \"/rmi\". So when running standalone on port 8080, check whether an HTTP GET request on localhost:8080/rmi returns 404 (not enabled) or 200 (enabled). Note that the HTTP path may be different when the webapp is deployed in a container as non-root context, in which case the prefix is under the user's control.\n\nTurning off RMIFind web.xml (either in JAR/WAR file or in unpacked web application folder), and remove the declaration and the mapping definition for the RemoteBindingServlet:\n\n        <servlet>\n            <servlet-name>RMI</servlet-name>\n            <servlet-class>org.apache.jackrabbit.servlet.remote.RemoteBindingServlet</servlet-class>\n        </servlet>\n\n        <servlet-mapping>\n            <servlet-name>RMI</servlet-name>\n            <url-pattern>/rmi</url-pattern>\n        </servlet-mapping>\n\nFind the bootstrap.properties file (in $REPOSITORY_HOME), and set\n\n         rmi.enabled=false\n\n    and also remove\n\n         rmi.host\n         rmi.port\n         rmi.url-pattern\n\n If there is no file named bootstrap.properties in $REPOSITORY_HOME, it is located somewhere in the classpath. In this case, place a copy in $REPOSITORY_HOME and modify it as explained.\n\n ",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-webapp"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.21.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.21.18"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-webapp"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.20.11"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.21.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.21.18"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.20.11"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone-components"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.21.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.21.18"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.jackrabbit:jackrabbit-standalone-components"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "1.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.20.11"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-37895"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/jackrabbit"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/list.html?users@jackrabbit.apache.org"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread/j03b3qdhborc2jrhdc4d765d3jkh8bfw"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2023/Jul/43"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/07/25/8"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-502" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-07-25T19:25:30Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2023-07-25T15:15:13Z"
  }
}