What’s Vulnerable › Vulnerabilities

CVE-2023-51518: Apache James server: Privilege escalation via JMX pre-authentication deserialisation

• Severity: critical (CVSS 9.8 v3.1)
• Exploited in the wild: not listed in CISA KEV
• EPSS: 1.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
• Public exploit or detection template: none known
• Published: 2024-02-27 · updated 2026-06-17
• Weakness: CWE-502

Description

Apache James prior to version 3.7.5 and 3.8.0 exposes a JMX endpoint on localhost subject to pre-authentication deserialisation of untrusted data. Given a deserialisation gadjet, this could be leveraged as part of an exploit chain that could result in privilege escalation. Note that by default JMX endpoint is only bound locally. We recommend users to:  - Upgrade to a non-vulnerable Apache James version  - Run Apache James isolated from other processes (docker - dedicated virtual machine)  - If possible turn off JMX

Affected products

• Apache Software Foundation Apache James: 3.7.5, 3.8.0

References

• https://lists.apache.org/thread/wbdm61ch6l0kzjn6nnfmyqlng82qz0or
• https://lists.apache.org/thread/wbdm61ch6l0kzjn6nnfmyqlng82qz0or

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