The Apache Software Foundation (ASF) has issued patches to address a critical vulnerability in the Apache MINA Java network application framework. This flaw, identified as CVE-2024-52046, has been assigned a CVSS score of 10.0, signifying maximum severity. If exploited under specific conditions, it could allow attackers to execute remote code on vulnerable systems.
Details of the Vulnerability
CVE-2024-52046 affects versions 2.0.X, 2.1.X, and 2.2.X of Apache MINA. According to ASF’s advisory, the issue stems from the ObjectSerializationDecoder, which uses Java’s native deserialization protocol to process serialized data. Unfortunately, it does so without implementing adequate security checks, leaving the door open for maliciously crafted serialized data to exploit the deserialization process.
This vulnerability enables attackers to execute Remote Code Execution (RCE) by sending specially designed malicious payloads.
However, exploitation is contingent upon the use of the IoBuffer#getObject() method in conjunction with certain classes, such as ProtocolCodecFilter and ObjectSerializationCodecFactory.
Mitigation Steps
To address the vulnerability, the ASF has advised users to:
- Upgrade Apache MINA to the latest patched versions.
- Explicitly configure the ObjectSerializationDecoder to restrict the classes it can accept. This can be achieved using one of three newly introduced methods. Simply upgrading without applying these configurations will not be sufficient to prevent exploitation.
Related Apache Vulnerabilities
The disclosure of CVE-2024-52046 comes shortly after the ASF resolved several other vulnerabilities, including:
- CVE-2024-56337 in Tomcat
- CVE-2024-45387 in Traffic Control
- CVE-2024-43441 in HugeGraph-Server
Earlier this month, a critical Remote Code Execution flaw (CVE-2024-53677) in the Apache Struts web application framework was also patched. Reports indicate active exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability.
Recommendations
All users of affected products are strongly urged to:
- Update to the latest versions immediately.
- Follow ASF’s guidance for secure configurations to mitigate potential threats.
Staying proactive with updates and security configurations is essential to protect systems against exploitation attempts.