Apache Avro Java SDK: Arbitrary Code Execution when reading Avro Data (Java SDK)GHSA-r7pg-v2c8-mfg3
CRITICALFix: apache/avro#2934GHSA-r7pg-v2c8-mfg3 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.8) Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability in org.apache.avro:avro. A fix is available for org.apache.avro:avro — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
- 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 GHSA-r7pg-v2c8-mfg3.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.avro:avroReal-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
Schema parsing in the Java SDK of Apache Avro 1.11.3 and previous versions allows bad actors to execute arbitrary code. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 1.11.4 or 1.12.0, which fix this issue.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.avro:avro | all versions | 1.11.4org.apache.avro:avro:1.11.4 |
Affected Products
avroapacheactive iq unified managernetappbrocade san navigatornetappDetection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.avro:avro, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.avro:avro to 1.11.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-r7pg-v2c8-mfg3 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.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
The Red Hat build of Apache Camel K 1.10 was rated Important as it allows users to provide an Avro schema for parsing. Note that this functionality is limited to authenticated users. Red Hat Single Sign-On 7 ships the affected component in its maven repository but does not use it in the product. As such it is affected…
1. Avoid parsing user-provided schemas. 2. Ensure proper input validation and sanitization of schemas before parsing. 3. Monitor systems for any unusual activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. 4. Apply the principle of least privilege to minimize the potential impact of successful exploits.Source: Red Hat security advisory for GHSA-r7pg-v2c8-mfg3 (CC BY 4.0)
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4.4.3 for Spring Boot | avro | RHSA-2024:8064 |
| Red Hat build of Apache Camel 4 for Quarkus 3 | avro | RHSA-2024:7972 |
| Red Hat build of Apicurio Registry 2.6.5 GA | see advisory | RHSA-2024:7861 |
| Red Hat build of Quarkus Native builder | avro | RHSA-2024:7676 |
| Red Hat build of Quarkus Native builder | avro | RHSA-2024:7670 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform | org.apache.avro/avro:1.11.4.redhat-00001 | RHSA-2024:10933 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7 | see advisory | RHSA-2024:7812 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 7 | see advisory | RHSA-2024:8093 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-r7pg-v2c8-mfg3 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.