CVE-2023-38647 Apache Helix: Deserialization vulnerability in Helix workflow and REST

What is CVE-2023-38647?

CVE-2023-38647 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Apache Helix, published on 26 Jul 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

An attacker can use SnakeYAML to deserialize java.net.URLClassLoader and make it load a JAR from a specified URL, and then deserialize javax.script.ScriptEngineManager to load code using that ClassLoader. This unbounded deserialization can likely lead to remote code execution. The code can be run in Helix REST start and Workflow creation.

Affect all the versions lower and include 1.2.0.

Affected products: helix-core, helix-rest

Mitigation: Short term, stop using any YAML based configuration and workflow creation.                   Long term, all Helix version bumping up to 1.3.0

Weakness: CWE-502

Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38647?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.helix:helix-core and org.apache.helix:helix-rest. It affects 1 product.

Products include Apache Helix.

How do I fix CVE-2023-38647?

Upgrade org.apache.helix:helix-core to 1.3.0 or later.

Upgrade, and only deserialise data from trusted sources or with an allow-list of types. More about Unsafe deserialization.

Is CVE-2023-38647 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38647 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Apache Helix

• CVE-2026-57111 Apache Helix REST: Permissive CORS Configuration in REST API Allows Unrestricted Cross-Origin High 7.5
• CVE-2024-22281 Apache Helix Front (UI): Helix front hard-coded secret in the express-session High 7.5
• CVE-2022-47500 Apache Helix: Open redirect Medium 6.1

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as GHSA-jhcr-hph9-g7wm.