CVE-2023-23638 | Apache Dubbo Deserialization Vulnerability Gadgets Bypass

A deserialization vulnerability existed when dubbo generic invoke, which could lead to malicious code execution. This issue affects Apache Dubbo 2.7.x version 2.7.21 and prior versions; Apache Dubbo 3.0.x version 3.0.13 and prior versions; Apache Dubbo 3.1.x version 3.1.5 and prior versions.

Published: 2023-03-08 Last update: 2024-11-21 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Modified，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2023-23638 is rated Moderate Risk (49.2/100): CVSS Medium severity, with high exploitation likelihood (EPSS 50.29%, 98th percentile). EPSS ranks this CVE among the most likely to be exploited in the near term. High exploitation likelihood—assess exposure and prioritize remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-23638

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-04-15 68.34% 50.29% -18.05%
2 2026-03-26 65.84% 68.34% +2.50%
3 2026-03-24 — 65.84% —

Full EPSS history (35 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-23638

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
5.0 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:L)
A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:L)
Some sensitive info could get out, but not a total data dump.
Integrity (I:L)
Attackers could change some data, but it’s limited—not everything goes.
Availability (A:L)
Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.
 1.6 3.4 [email protected]
9.8 3.1 CRITICAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:H)
Serious risk that confidential data gets exposed in a big way.
Integrity (I:H)
They could widely tamper with or forge data—trust in the data is badly hurt.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 3.9 5.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-23638

GitHub Security Advisory for CVE-2023-23638

GHSA-933g-v89r-x8pf · Severity: critical · Ecosystem: maven — Apache Dubbo vulnerable to Deserialization of Untrusted Data

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-23638

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
apache dubbo >= 2.7.0, <= 2.7.21 cpe:2.3:a:apache:dubbo:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache dubbo >= 3.0.0, <= 3.0.13 cpe:2.3:a:apache:dubbo:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apache dubbo >= 3.1.0, <= 3.1.5 cpe:2.3:a:apache:dubbo:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2023-23638

cvelogic Threat Intelligence