# CVE-2023-38264: IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition denial of service

> Attackers can cause denial of service in IBM Java SDK ORB by exploiting improper deserialization filter enforcement.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 May 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-p7p5-3hmf-xx69, RHSA-2024:3685, RHSA-2024:4160

## What is CVE-2023-38264?

CVE-2023-38264 is a medium-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition, published on 10 May 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition's Object Request Broker (ORB) 7.1.0.0 through 7.1.5.21 and 8.0.0.0 through 8.0.8.21 is vulnerable to a denial of service attack in some circumstances due to improper enforcement of the JEP 290 MaxRef and MaxDepth deserialization filters.  IBM X-Force ID:  260578.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38264?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::supplementary | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1.el8_10 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-demo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::supplementary | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1.el8_10 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::supplementary | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1.el8_10 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-headless` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::supplementary | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1.el8_10 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-jdbc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::supplementary | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1.el8_10 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-plugin` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::supplementary | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1.el8_10 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-src` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::supplementary | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1.el8_10 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-webstart` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::supplementary | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1.el8_10 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm` | Red Hat:rhel_extras:7 | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1jpp.1.el7 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-demo` | Red Hat:rhel_extras:7 | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1jpp.1.el7 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_extras:7 | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1jpp.1.el7 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-jdbc` | Red Hat:rhel_extras:7 | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1jpp.1.el7 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-plugin` | Red Hat:rhel_extras:7 | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1jpp.1.el7 |
| `java-1.8.0-ibm-src` | Red Hat:rhel_extras:7 | All versions | 1:1.8.0.8.25-1jpp.1.el7 |

Products: Ibm Java Software Development Kit.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-38264?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-38264 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38264 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-38264 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-38264 is a medium-severity unsafe deserialization vulnerability in IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition, published on 10 May 2024. 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-2023-38264 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM SDK, Java Technology Edition. 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-2023-38264/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38264/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38264
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38264
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38264

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38264/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.