A new critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-52046) has been discovered in Apache MINA, potentially allowing attackers to execute remote code by exploiting insecure deserialization processes.
This flaw affects multiple versions of the popular networking library, raising significant security concerns.
The Vulnerability Explained
The issue lies in the ObjectSerializationDecoder component of Apache MINA, which utilizes Java’s native deserialization protocol.
The decoder lacks adequate security mechanisms, enabling attackers to inject malicious serialized data. When deserialized, this data can trigger Remote Code Execution (RCE), putting affected systems at serious risk.
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Versions Impacted
The following versions of Apache MINA are vulnerable:
- Versions 2.0 through 2.0.26
- Versions 2.1 through 2.1.9
- Versions 2.2 through 2.2.3
Organizations using any of these versions must take immediate action to mitigate the risk.
The Apache MINA team has released updates — 2.0.27, 2.1.10, and 2.2.4 — to address this vulnerability.
These releases include fixes to improve the security of the deserialization process by enforcing stricter validation of incoming serialized data.
How to Mitigate the Vulnerability
- Upgrade Immediately
Users should upgrade to the patched versions of Apache MINA (2.0.27, 2.1.10, or 2.2.4). Delaying updates increases the risk of exploitation. - Enforce Secure Deserialization
After upgrading, developers must configure the ObjectSerializationDecoder by explicitly specifying acceptable class names for deserialization. Three new methods have been introduced for this purpose:- accept(ClassNameMatcher classNameMatcher)
- accept(Pattern pattern)
- accept(String… patterns)
By default, the decoder will now reject all classes unless explicitly allowed.
- Assess Application Usage
Applications not utilizing the IoBuffer#getObject() method or the ProtocolCodecFilter with ObjectSerializationCodecFactory are unaffected. Conducting an internal review can help narrow down the scope of the issue.
Fortunately, the sub-projects FtpServer, SSHd, and Vysper under the Apache MINA umbrella are confirmed to be unaffected by this vulnerability.
This vulnerability underscores the risks associated with unsafe deserialization in Java applications.
Organizations must prioritize regular updates, enforce strict security policies, and review their usage of third-party libraries to protect against similar threats.
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