A new security flaw has been discovered in Apache Jackrabbit, a widely used content repository system, potentially exposing thousands of applications to remote code execution (RCE) risks.
The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-58782, affects both Apache Jackrabbit Core and Apache Jackrabbit JCR Commons, with severity rated as important.
The issue arises from deserialization of untrusted data within JNDI-based repository lookups. Attackers can exploit this by injecting malicious JNDI references when applications accept untrusted inputs for repository connections.
Once triggered, the flaw may allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on the target system, compromising sensitive data and system stability.
Vulnerability Details
Security researchers revealed that deployments relying on JndiRepositoryFactory for JCR lookup are specifically at risk.
By crafting a malicious JNDI URI, an attacker can plant harmful payloads. These payloads are then deserialized by the vulnerable component, opening the door to remote exploitation.
| CVE ID | Component | Affected Versions | Severity | Type of Vulnerability |
| CVE-2025-58782 | Apache Jackrabbit Core, JCR Commons | 1.0.0 through 2.22.1 | Important | Deserialization of Untrusted Data via JNDI Injection |
Marcel Reutegger, a core Apache Jackrabbit contributor, confirmed the flaw in a public advisory, emphasizing that organizations using older versions should act immediately. The issue impacts versions 1.0.0 through 2.22.1 of both Jackrabbit Core and JCR Commons.
The Apache Software Foundation has recommended upgrading to version 2.22.2, where JNDI lookup is disabled by default.
Users who still require the feature must enable it explicitly and are strongly encouraged to review their configurations.
If successfully exploited, attackers can gain remote access to vulnerable servers, execute arbitrary commands, or plant backdoors for persistent control.
This makes the flaw particularly dangerous for organizations relying on Jackrabbit for content management, enterprise search, or document storage.
The vulnerability could be weaponized in automated attacks, making unpatched systems easy targets. Since Jackrabbit is frequently used in enterprise-grade applications, the scale of exposure could be significant.
Security experts strongly urge administrators to upgrade to Jackrabbit 2.22.2 without delay. For those unable to upgrade immediately, disabling JNDI lookups for JCR connections is advised.
Additionally, organizations should monitor their systems for suspicious JNDI-based connections and audit all externally supplied URIs.
This vulnerability has been assigned the internal bug tracking code JCR-5135, and the fix has already been released.
James John, who reported the issue, was credited in the advisory. References and security details have been made available on Apache Jackrabbit’s official website and the CVE database.
With active threats in the wild, quick action is critical to prevent exploitation of this security flaw.
Find this Story Interesting! Follow us on LinkedIn and X to Get More Instant Updates.
Source link
