CVE-2023-23638 — dubbo
MEDIUMCVE-2023-23638 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5) Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in org.apache.dubbo:dubbo. 5 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.apache.dubbo:dubbo — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Apache Dubbo Deserialization Vulnerability Gadgets Bypass
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2023-23638.
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.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2023-23638 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE doesn't sit, though severity or exploitability alone can still warrant action.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 377,636 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the < 10% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
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 | 2.7.22org.apache.dubbo:dubbo:2.7.22 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.dubbo:dubbo | ≥ 3.0.0&&< 3.0.13 | 3.0.13org.apache.dubbo:dubbo:3.0.13 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.dubbo:dubbo | ≥ 3.1.0&&< 3.1.5 | 3.1.5org.apache.dubbo:dubbo: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, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
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 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2023-23638 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
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 Security finds CVE-2023-23638 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.