CVE-2016-6814: Critical severity Apache Groovy vulnerability

Published Jan 14, 2017
·
Updated

It was found that a flaw in apache groovy library allows remote code execution wherever deserialization occurs in the application. It is possible for an attacker to craft a special serialized object that will execute code directly when deserialized. All applications which rely on serialization and do not isolate the code which deserializes objects are subject to this vulnerability.

Other sources

When an application with unsupported Codehaus versions of Groovy from 1.7.0 to 2.4.3, Apache Groovy 2.4.4 to 2.4.7 on classpath uses standard Java serialization mechanisms, e.g. to communicate between servers or to store local data, it was possible for an attacker to bake a special serialized object that will execute code directly when deserialized. All applications which rely on serialization and do not isolate the code which deserializes objects were subject to this vulnerability.

Affected Software

9 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/groovy<0:1.8.9-8.el7_4
0:1.8.9-8.el7_4
redhat/rh-maven33-groovy<0:1.8.9-7.19.el6
0:1.8.9-7.19.el6
redhat/rh-maven33-groovy<0:1.8.9-7.19.el7
0:1.8.9-7.19.el7
redhat/groovy<2.4.8
2.4.8
maven/org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all>=1.7.0<=2.4.7
2.4.8
maven/org.codehaus.groovy:groovy>=1.7.0<=2.4.7
2.4.8
Apache Groovy>=1.7.0<=2.4.3
Apache Groovy>=2.4.4<=2.4.7
redhat Enterprise Linux Server=7.0

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/groovy to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.8.9-8.el7_4
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/rh-maven33-groovy to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.8.9-7.19.el6
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/rh-maven33-groovy to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:1.8.9-7.19.el7
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade maven/org.codehaus.groovy:groovy-all to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.4.8
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade maven/org.codehaus.groovy:groovy to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.4.8
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/groovy to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 2.4.8

Event History

Jan 14, 2017
CVE Published
12:00 AM
Jan 16, 2017
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·04:40 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 18, 2018
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Description
May 13, 2022
Advisory Published
via GitHub·01:25 AM

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2016-6814?

CVE-2016-6814 is classified as a critical vulnerability due to its potential for remote code execution.

2

How do I fix CVE-2016-6814?

To fix CVE-2016-6814, upgrade to Apache Groovy version 2.4.8 or later.

3

Which versions of Groovy are affected by CVE-2016-6814?

CVE-2016-6814 affects Groovy versions up to 2.4.7.

4

Is there a workaround for CVE-2016-6814 if I cannot upgrade?

Currently, there are no known workarounds that fully mitigate the risk of CVE-2016-6814.

5

What types of applications are vulnerable to CVE-2016-6814?

Any application that uses the Apache Groovy library for serialization and deserialization is vulnerable to CVE-2016-6814.

Contact

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