Cyber Resilience

CVE-2023-29234

RCE in Apache Dubbo 3.1.0 – 3.1.10

Published
15 December 2023
Modified
13 February 2025
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 9.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.074 94th percentile
Risk Priority 97 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2023-29234 is a critical-severity Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502) vulnerability in Apache Dubbo. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 6% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

A deserialization vulnerability tracked as CVE-2023-29234 affects Apache Dubbo versions 3.1.0 through 3.1.10 and 3.2.0 through 3.2.4. The flaw, assigned CWE-502, occurs when the software decodes a malicious package and carries a CVSS 3.1 score of 9.8 reflecting network attack vector, low complexity, and no required privileges or user interaction.

An unauthenticated remote attacker can supply a crafted serialized payload that the vulnerable Dubbo instance will deserialize, resulting in arbitrary code execution or full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected service.

Public advisories from the Apache project and coordinated disclosure lists state that users should upgrade to the latest patched version of Dubbo, which resolves the deserialization issue. The associated EPSS score stands at 0.8897 with an identical recorded peak, indicating sustained high exploitation probability since disclosure.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

A deserialization vulnerability existed when decode a malicious package.This issue affects Apache Dubbo: from 3.1.0 through 3.1.10, from 3.2.0 through 3.2.4. Users are recommended to upgrade to the latest version, which fixes the issue.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-23638Same product: Apache Dubbo
CVE-2023-46279Same product: Apache Dubbo
CVE-2021-30180Same product: Apache Dubbo
CVE-2021-29200Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2023-37895Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2023-39410Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2026-42779Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2026-61484Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2026-40860Same vendor: Apache
CVE-2025-27819Same vendor: Apache

Affected Assets

apache
dubbo
3.1.0 — 3.1.10 · 3.2.0 — 3.2.4

Mitigating Controls

Likely Mitigating Controls AI

Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.

addresses: CWE-502

Penetration testing supplies malicious serialized objects, detecting unsafe deserialization and supporting corrective actions.

addresses: CWE-502

Evaluation of untrusted data handling (deserialization testing) reveals unsafe processing, which the required remediation process addresses.

addresses: CWE-502

Untrusted serialized data can be deserialized and observed inside the chamber, blocking gadget-chain exploitation outside the sandbox.

addresses: CWE-502

Validates or rejects untrusted serialized data before deserialization occurs.

addresses: CWE-502

Identifies and blocks malicious code introduced through deserialization of untrusted data at system boundaries.

addresses: CWE-502

Integrity verification of serialized information can detect tampering before deserialization occurs.

addresses: CWE-502

Provenance of associated data allows detection of untrusted sources before deserialization or processing occurs.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-02 none match
prevents

PR.PS-02 addresses only post-deployment updates/patching and cannot prevent introduction of unsafe deserialization code, yet it can remediate some instances when the flaw exists in outdated libraries or components.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing includes validation of deserialization routines and the use of untrusted data, reducing the likelihood that unsafe object reconstruction will be deployed.

prevents

Requiring vetted libraries, regular updates and SAST before release reduces the likelihood that deserialization logic will accept and act on attacker-controlled serialized objects.

finds

Regular scanning of third-party libraries and timely patching reduce the likelihood that unsafe deserialization vulnerabilities remain active.

none

Mandatory malware scanning of data received over networks or storage media intercepts malicious serialized payloads before they are deserialized by the target application.

References