How severe is GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf?

No CVSS score has been assigned to GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf?

GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf affects the following packages: serde_yaml (crates.io). Ecosystems affected: crates.io.

How do I fix GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf?

Update serde_yaml to 0.8.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf in my crates.io dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for serde_yaml, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

Do not deserialise data from untrusted sources: where the format allows it, restrict deserialisation to an explicit allowlist of expected types, and prefer a data-only format (JSON, Protobuf) over one that can reconstruct arbitrary objects until you can upgrade.

Is GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

When was GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf published, and has it been updated?

GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf was published on August 25, 2021 and was last updated on November 8, 2023. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

🦀 crates.io

Not in CISA KEV

Uncontrolled recursion leads to abort in deserializationGHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf

Fix: dtolnay/serde-yaml#105

GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf is a remote code execution vulnerability in serde_yaml. A fix is available for serde_yaml — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Also known asRUSTSEC-2018-0005

Published

Aug 25, 2021

Updated

Nov 8, 2023

Affected

1 pkg

Patched

1 / 1

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Nov 8, 2023 · OSV.dev, FIRST.org (EPSS)

Real-World Exposure

1 pkg affected

🦀serde_yaml

Real-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects crates.io packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.

Description

Affected versions of this crate did not properly check for recursion while deserializing aliases. This allows an attacker to make a YAML file with an alias referring to itself causing an abort. The flaw was corrected by checking the recursion depth.

Affected Packages

1 total 1 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
🦀crates.io	`serde_yaml`	≥ 0.6.0-rc1&&< 0.8.4	0.8.4`cargo update -p serde_yaml --precise 0.8.4`

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for serde_yaml, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update serde_yaml to 0.8.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Do not deserialise data from untrusted sources: where the format allows it, restrict deserialisation to an explicit allowlist of expected types, and prefer a data-only format (JSON, Protobuf) over one that can reconstruct arbitrary objects until you can upgrade.

Frequently Asked Questions

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

Is GHSA-39vw-qp34-rmwf in your dependencies?

Find it across crates.io, including transitive dependencies.

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