GHSA-mf4f-j588-5xm8 — opencast-common
Fix: opencast/opencast#3253GHSA-mf4f-j588-5xm8 is a remote code execution vulnerability in org.opencastproject:opencast-common. A fix is available for org.opencastproject:opencast-common — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Apache Log4j Remote Code Execution
Real-World Exposure
org.opencastproject:opencast-common☕org.opencastproject:opencast-commonReal-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
Impact
Opencast uses an Apache Log4j2 version which, combined with older JDK versions, can be used for remote code execution attacks which have been found to be actively exploited.
Apache Log4j2 <=2.14.1 JNDI features is not sufficiently protected. An attacker who can control log messages or log message parameters can execute arbitrary code when message lookup substitution is enabled.
Who is affected
- Opencast before 9.10 or 10.6 are affected
- Log4j version: all 2.x versions before 2.15.0 are affected
Patches
The issue has been fixed in Opencast 9.10 and 10.6.
Workarounds
The vulnerability can be mitigated by setting system property log4j2.formatMsgNoLookups to true.
References
- Opencast pull request mitigating the vulnerability
- CVE-2021-44228 Detail
- Analysis and Remediation Guidance to the Log4j Zero-Day RCE (CVE-2021-44228) Vulnerability
- VE-2021-44228 – Log4j 2 Vulnerability Analysis
For more information
If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:
- Open an issue in our issue tracker
- Email us at [email protected]
Note about dependencies
This issue affects many Java applications. Please also verify these are not vulnerable.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.opencastproject:opencast-common | all versions | 9.10org.opencastproject:opencast-common:9.10 |
| ☕Maven | org.opencastproject:opencast-common | ≥ 10.0&&< 10.6 | 10.6org.opencastproject:opencast-common:10.6 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.opencastproject:opencast-common, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.opencastproject:opencast-common to 9.10 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-mf4f-j588-5xm8 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 GHSA-mf4f-j588-5xm8 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to GHSA-mf4f-j588-5xm8. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-mf4f-j588-5xm8 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds GHSA-mf4f-j588-5xm8 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.