Karaf
CVE-2020-11980
MEDIUM
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V4 - API and Web Service URL allowlisting, SSRF prevention
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Initial Access, Credential Access The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Impact | CVSS score of 6.3 (MEDIUM). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction not required. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A remote attacker could make the server perform requests to unintended internal or external resources by sending crafted requests to the affected application. |
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Alert meAnalysisAI
In Karaf, JMX authentication takes place using JAAS and authorization takes place using ACL files. Rated medium severity (CVSS 6.3), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, low attack complexity. No vendor patch available.
RemediationAI
No vendor patch is available at time of analysis. Monitor vendor advisories for updates. Validate and allowlist destination URLs, block requests to internal networks, use network segmentation.
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in maven
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
This vulnerability is classified as Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) (CWE-918), which allows attackers to make the server perform requests to unintended internal or external resources. In Karaf, JMX authentication takes place using JAAS and authorization takes place using ACL files. By default, only an "admin" can actually invoke on an MBean. However there is a vulnerability there for someone who is not an admin, but has a "viewer" role. In the 'etc/jmx.acl.cfg', such as role can call get*. It's possible to authenticate as a viewer role + invokes on the MLet getMBeansFromURL method, which goes off to a remote server to fetch the desired MBean, which is then registered in Karaf. At this point the attack fails as "viewer" doesn't have the permission to invoke on the MBean. Still, it could act as a SSRF style attack and also it essentially allows a "viewer" role to pollute the MBean registry, which is a kind of privilege escalation. The vulnerability is low as it's possible to add a ACL to limit access. Users should update to Apache Karaf 4.2.9 or newer. Affected products include: Apache Karaf.
Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.
CVSS VectorNVD
DescriptionNVD
In Karaf, JMX authentication takes place using JAAS and authorization takes place using ACL files. By default, only an "admin" can actually invoke on an MBean. However there is a vulnerability there for someone who is not an admin, but has a "viewer" role. In the 'etc/jmx.acl.cfg', such as role can call get*. It's possible to authenticate as a viewer role + invokes on the MLet getMBeansFromURL method, which goes off to a remote server to fetch the desired MBean, which is then registered in Karaf. At this point the attack fails as "viewer" doesn't have the permission to invoke on the MBean. Still, it could act as a SSRF style attack and also it essentially allows a "viewer" role to pollute the MBean registry, which is a kind of privilege escalation. The vulnerability is low as it's possible to add a ACL to limit access. Users should update to Apache Karaf 4.2.9 or newer.
Threat Intelligence Overview
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Server-Side Request Forgery exploits applications that fetch remote resources based on user-supplied URLs.
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.
Affected Products (CPE)NVD
An issue was discovered in Legion of the Bouncy Castle BC Java 1.65 and 1.66. Rated high severity (CVSS 8.1), this vulne
Privilege escalation to remote code execution in Apache Karaf before 4.4.12 lets any authenticated shell session - inclu
Authenticated path traversal in Apache Karaf before 4.4.12 allows a principal holding the shipped 'manager' role to writ
This vulnerable is about a potential code injection when an attacker has control of the target LDAP server using in the
Authorization bypass in Apache Karaf before 4.4.12 allows an authenticated JMX client holding any role - including the l
In Apache Karaf prior to 4.2.0 release, if the sshd service in Karaf is left on so an administrator can manage the runni
In Apache Karaf version prior to 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1, when the webconsole feature is installed in Karaf, it is available
OpenDaylight Karaf 0.6.1-Carbon fails to clear the cache after a password change, allowing the old password to be used u
Metaspace exhaustion in Apache Karaf before 4.4.11 allows an operator with access to Karaf's bundle- and feature-managem
Apache Karaf kar deployer reads .kar archives and extracts the paths from the "repository/" and "resources/" entries in
Privilege escalation in Apache Karaf versions before 4.4.12 allows any authenticated user of the shell or SSH console -
Apache Karaf before 4.0.10 enables a shutdown port on the loopback interface, which allows local users to cause a denial
GitHub PoC
Exploit-DB