# CVE-2023-28500: Deserialization in n/a

> Unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary code via insecure deserialization in Adobe LiveCycle ES4, especially with older Java versions.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 6 Apr 2023
- **Updated:** 5 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9cpg-q9f9-cq47

## What is CVE-2023-28500?

CVE-2023-28500 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Apr 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A Java insecure deserialization vulnerability in Adobe LiveCycle ES4 version 11.0 and earlier allows unauthenticated remote attackers to gain operating system code execution by submitting specially crafted Java serialized objects to a specific URL. Adobe LiveCycle ES4 version 11.0.1 and later may be vulnerable if the application is installed with Java environment 7u21 and earlier. Exploitation of the vulnerability depends on two factors: insecure deserialization methods used in the Adobe LiveCycle application, and the use of Java environments 7u21 and earlier. The code execution is performed in the context of the account that is running the Adobe LiveCycle application. If the account is privileged, exploitation provides privileged access to the operating system. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-28500?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Adobe Livecycle Es4.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-28500?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-28500 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-28500 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-28500 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-28500 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-28500 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Apr 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-28500 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28500/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28500/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-28500
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-28500
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-28500

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-28500/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.