CVE-2020-1948

Vulnerability

Overview

CVE-2020-1948 is a remote code execution vulnerability in Apache Dubbo, a high-performance Java RPC framework. The root cause lies in the Hessian deserialization library, which is used as a default deserialization tool. When an attacker sends an RPC request containing an unrecognized service name or method name along with a malicious parameter payload, the deserialization process can trigger arbitrary code execution [1][2].

Exploitation

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending crafted RPC requests to a Dubbo service. The requests do not require valid service or method names; instead, they rely on the deserialization of malicious parameters. No authentication is mentioned as a prerequisite, meaning the attack can be launched from a network-accessible position [1][2].

Impact

Successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the Dubbo server. This could lead to full compromise of the affected system, including data theft, service disruption, or further lateral movement within the network [1][2].

Mitigation

The vulnerability affects all Dubbo versions 2.7.6 and earlier, including 2.6.x and 2.5.x (the latter is no longer officially supported). The vendor has released Dubbo version 2.7.7, which fixes the issue. Users are strongly advised to upgrade to 2.7.7 or later. No workarounds have been published [2].