CVE-2023-23638
CRITICALApache Dubbo vulnerable to Deserialization of Untrusted Data
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Blast Radius
org.apache.dubbo:dubbo☕org.apache.dubbo:dubbo☕org.apache.dubbo:dubboReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
A deserialization vulnerability existed when dubbo generic invoke, which could lead to malicious code execution.
This issue affects Apache Dubbo 2.7.x version 2.7.21 and prior versions; Apache Dubbo 3.0.x version 3.0.13 and prior versions; Apache Dubbo 3.1.x version 3.1.5 and prior versions.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.dubbo:dubbo | all versions | 2.7.22 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.dubbo:dubbo | ≥ 3.0.0&&< 3.0.13 | 3.0.13 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.dubbo:dubbo | ≥ 3.1.0&&< 3.1.5 | 3.1.5 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.dubbo:dubbo. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.apache.dubbo:dubbo to 2.7.22 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-23638 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2023-23638 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2023-23638. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2023-23638 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2023-23638 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.