CVE-2024-52046 (CVSS 10): Critical Apache MINA Flaw Could Allow Remote Code Execution
A critical vulnerability has been discovered in Apache MINA, a popular network application framework used for building high-performance and scalable network applications. This vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-52046 and carrying a CVSS score of 10 (the highest possible severity rating), could potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable systems, making immediate patching a top priority.
Apache MINA, known for its abstract event-driven asynchronous API that simplifies network programming over transports like TCP/IP and UDP/IP, is widely used in various applications. However, a flaw in its ObjectSerializationDecoder component has opened a door for malicious actors. This decoder, which utilizes Java’s native deserialization to process serialized data, was found to be lacking critical security checks.
The root of the problem lies in the way the vulnerable versions of MINA handle object deserialization. Without proper safeguards, attackers can send specially crafted malicious serialized data that, when processed by the ObjectSerializationDecoder, could lead to Remote Code Execution (RCE). This means attackers could potentially take complete control of the affected system.
The CVE-2024-52046 vulnerability impacts a wide range of Apache MINA versions, specifically:
- Apache MINA 2.0.0 through 2.0.26
- Apache MINA 2.1.0 through 2.1.9
- Apache MINA 2.2.0 through 2.2.3
It’s important to note that not all applications using MINA are automatically vulnerable. The risk arises when the application uses the IoBuffer#getObject() method, which is potentially called when a ProtocolCodecFilter instance using the ObjectSerializationCodecFactory class is added to the filter chain. If your application relies on these specific classes and methods, you are potentially exposed and must take immediate action.
The Apache MINA team has swiftly addressed this critical vulnerability with the release of the following patched versions:
However, upgrading alone is not sufficient. The updated versions introduce a crucial security enhancement: developers must now explicitly define which classes the ObjectSerializationDecoder is allowed to deserialize. This is achieved through three new methods:
- accept(ClassNameMatcher classNameMatcher)
- accept(Pattern pattern)
- accept(String… patterns)
By default, the decoder will now reject all classes, essentially operating on a “deny all” principle unless explicitly allowed. This adds a vital layer of control, preventing the deserialization of untrusted and potentially malicious objects.
The Apache MINA team has clarified that the FtpServer, SSHd, and Vysper sub-projects are not affected by this vulnerability.
