What is the CVSS score of CVE-2024-28988?

CVE-2024-28988 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 (Critical). CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. EPSS exploitation probability: 8.9%.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2024-28988?

Within 24 hours: Identify all affected systems and apply vendor patches immediately. Restrict deserialization to trusted data sources and implement integrity checks.

Web Help Desk CVE-2024-28988

CRITICAL

Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502)

2025-09-01 psirt@solarwinds.com

RCE Java Deserialization Web Help Desk Solarwinds

9.8

CVSS 3.1 · NVD

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Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness	CWE CWE-502 OWASP Top 10:2025 A08:2025 - Software or Data Integrity Failures ASVS 5.0 V1 - Encoding and Sanitization Safe deserialization, type allowlists MITRE ATT&CK 2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Initial Access The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. Sign in to read
Impact	CVSS score of 9.8 (CRITICAL). Attack characteristics: network attack vector, low complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction not required. EPSS exploitation probability: 8.85%.
Exploit ScenarioDerived	A remote attacker could execute arbitrary code through malicious serialized objects by sending crafted requests to the affected application. No authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: CRITICAL severity.

Patch available 8.9% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Mar 28, 2026

SolarWinds Web Help Desk was found to be susceptible to a Java Deserialization Remote Code Execution vulnerability that, if exploited, would allow an attacker to run commands on the host machine. Rated critical severity (CVSS 9.8), this vulnerability is remotely exploitable, no authentication required, low attack complexity. This Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code through malicious serialized objects.

RemediationAI

A vendor patch is available. Apply the latest security update as soon as possible. Avoid deserializing untrusted data. Use safe serialization formats (JSON). Implement integrity checks and type allowlists.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

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 Deserialization of Untrusted Data (CWE-502), which allows attackers to execute arbitrary code through malicious serialized objects. SolarWinds Web Help Desk was found to be susceptible to a Java Deserialization Remote Code Execution vulnerability that, if exploited, would allow an attacker to run commands on the host machine. This vulnerability was found by the ZDI team after researching a previous vulnerability and providing this report. The ZDI team was able to discover an unauthenticated attack during their research. We recommend all Web Help Desk customers apply the patch, which is now available. We thank Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) for its ongoing partnership in coordinating with SolarWinds on responsible disclosure of this and other potential vulnerabilities. Affected products include: Solarwinds Web Help Desk.

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Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 9.8 CRITICAL

AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Lifecycle Timeline

Patch released

Mar 28, 2026 - 19:09 nvd

Patch available

CVE Published

Sep 01, 2025 - 22:15 nvd

CRITICAL 9.8

DescriptionCVE.org

SolarWinds Web Help Desk was found to be susceptible to a Java Deserialization Remote Code Execution vulnerability that, if exploited, would allow an attacker to run commands on the host machine. This vulnerability was found by the ZDI team after researching a previous vulnerability and providing this report. The ZDI team was able to discover an unauthenticated attack during their research.

We recommend all Web Help Desk customers apply the patch, which is now available.

We thank Trend Micro Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) for its ongoing partnership in coordinating with SolarWinds on responsible disclosure of this and other potential vulnerabilities.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

Organizations using SolarWinds Web Help Desk face critical risk from CVE-2024-28988, a insecure deserialization vulnerability rated CVSS 9.8. Insecure deserialization could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code by providing crafted serialized data. A patch is available and should be applied immediately given the critical severity.

Business Impact: Severe

Compensating Controls

Apply vendor patch. If immediate patching is not feasible: (1) Restrict deserialization endpoints; (2) Implement integrity checks on serialized data; (3) Use type-safe alternatives.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score

8.9%

Top 7% exploitable

Data Quality

3 sources

Confidence: Low

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.

SignalValue

Severity CRITICAL

CISA KEV No

Public POC No

EPSS 8.9%

Patch available Yes

Active threat No

Deciding rule

CRITICAL severity

What every action level means

Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.

Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived

Out-of-Cycle

Exploitation· derived

None

System Exposure· derived

Open

Automatable· derived

Yes

Human Impact

Very High

Priority Score

Low Medium High Critical

KEV: 0

EPSS: +9

CVSS: +49

PoC: 0

Weaponized: 0

Threat intel: 0

Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Insecure Deserialization CRITICAL

Insecure deserialization occurs when an application converts serialized data (a stream of bytes representing an object's state) back into a living object without proper validation.

Remote Code Execution CRITICAL

Remote Code Execution represents the critical moment when an attacker successfully runs arbitrary code on a target system without physical access.