Severity by source
AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Network-reachable shell/JMX with low-complexity injection, but requires an authenticated principal able to reach instance:* commands (PR:L); command execution yields full C/I/A impact within the same host scope.
Primary rating from Vendor (apache).
CVSS VectorVendor: apache
Lifecycle Timeline
7DescriptionCVE.org
Apache Karaf's instance-management service (InstanceServiceImpl) builds the command line used to launch a child Karaf JVM by string concatenation, then executes it through /bin/sh (Unix) or cscript (Windows). The caller-supplied javaOpts value is spliced into that string unquoted. A javaOpts value containing shell metacharacters (;, |, `, $(...)) is interpreted by the shell instead of being passed to the JVM as an option, giving arbitrary OS command execution as the Karaf process user.
Reachable via the shell commands instance:create, instance:start, instance:restart, instance:change-opts, and the equivalent InstanceMBean JMX operations (createInstance, startInstance, changeJavaOpts, cloneInstance).
Mitigation * Set karaf.secured.command.compulsory.roles=admin in etc/system.properties to close the fail-open gap for all unconfigured command scopes.
- Restrict which principals can reach instance:* commands and InstancesMBean via etc/users.properties role assignments.
- Treat javaOpts passed to instance:create/instance:start/instance:change-opts/InstancesMBean as untrusted input only from fully-trusted operators.
AnalysisAI
Authenticated command injection in Apache Karaf's instance-management service lets a principal who can reach the instance:* shell commands (instance:create, instance:start, instance:restart, instance:change-opts) or the equivalent InstancesMBean JMX operations execute arbitrary OS commands as the Karaf process user, because the caller-supplied javaOpts value is concatenated into a launch string that is then handed to /bin/sh or cscript. Affected deployments are Apache Karaf instances before 4.4.12, and exploitation requires an authenticated principal (CVSS 3.1 vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, base 8.8) with the ability to supply javaOpts; the risk is amplified by a fail-open default in which unconfigured command scopes are not role-restricted. …
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Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata
Vulnerability AssessmentAI
| Exploitation | Requires an authenticated principal (PR:L) who can reach Apache Karaf instance-management functionality - specifically the shell commands instance:create, instance:start, instance:restart, or instance:change-opts, or the equivalent InstanceMBean JMX operations (createInstance, startInstance, changeJavaOpts, cloneInstance) - AND the ability to supply a javaOpts value. … Additional conditions and limiting factors are described in the full assessment. |
| Risk Assessment | This is a genuine high-priority issue, though not an emergency. … Full risk analysis with EPSS, KEV, and SSVC signal comparison available after sign-in. |
| Exploit Scenario | Full exploit scenario with step-by-step reproduction available after sign-in. |
| Remediation | The primary fix is to upgrade to Apache Karaf 4.4.12 or later - vendor-released patch available per the Apache advisory at https://lists.apache.org/thread/olzy0yjw82b20w59vonfjr1x7v5yzocr - which removes the string-concatenation path that allows javaOpts to reach the shell interpreter; verify the deployed Karaf version and any bundled or embedded Karaf runtime is at or above 4.4.12. … Detailed patch versions, workarounds, and compensating controls in full report. |
Recommended ActionAI
Within 24 hours, inventory all Apache Karaf deployments to identify instances running versions earlier than 4.4.12, giving priority to any whose shell or JMX interfaces are reachable by non-administrative principals, and restrict access to the instance:* command scope and the InstancesMBean to a small set of trusted operators as a stopgap. …
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Same weakness CWE-78 – OS Command Injection
View allSame technique Command Injection
View allVendor StatusVendor
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External POC / Exploit Code
Leaving vuln.today
EUVD-2026-88210
GHSA-2wpj-35wr-vch7