---
title: "CVE-2023-38693: Lucee RCE/XXE Vulnerability"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2023-38693/
description: "CVE-2023-38693 (org.lucee:lucee (Maven)): Lucee Server (or simply Lucee) is a dynamic, Java based, tag and scripting language used for rapid web application…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2025-03-05
date_modified: 2025-03-06
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2023-38693"
kev: false
cvss: 9.8
epss: 0.00823
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2023-38693: Lucee RCE/XXE Vulnerability

**Signal:** Critical and remotely reachable. No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- No confirmed exploitation. It is not in CISA’s KEV catalog and CISA’s SSVC assessment records no known exploitation. That can change quickly after a public write-up; re-check if you are affected.
- EPSS 0.8% , percentile 57: FIRST’s model estimates a 0.8% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 57% of all scored CVEs (moderate). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Remotely reachable with no login and no user interaction. If the vulnerable service is exposed to the internet, prioritize it.
- Only applies if your dependency tree includes org.lucee:lucee (Maven) >= 5.3.10.79-RC, < 5.3.12.1, fixed in 5.3.12.1 ; org.lucee:lucee (Maven) >= 5.4.0.65-RC, < 5.4.3.2, fixed in 5.4.3.2 ; org.lucee:lucee (Maven) <= 5.3.7.59, no fixed version listed ; org.lucee:lucee (Maven) >= 5.3.8.132-RC, < 5.3.8.236, fixed in 5.3.8.236 . Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.

## What it is

Lucee Server (or simply Lucee) is a dynamic, Java based, tag and scripting language used for rapid web application development. The Lucee REST endpoint is vulnerable to RCE via an XML XXE attack. This vulnerability is fixed in Lucee 5.4.3.2, 5.3.12.1, 5.3.7.59, 5.3.8.236, and 5.3.9.173.

## Affected packages

- Maven `org.lucee:lucee` >= 5.3.10.79-RC, < 5.3.12.1 → fixed: 5.3.12.1
- Maven `org.lucee:lucee` >= 5.4.0.65-RC, < 5.4.3.2 → fixed: 5.4.3.2
- Maven `org.lucee:lucee` <= 5.3.7.59 → fixed: none listed
- Maven `org.lucee:lucee` >= 5.3.8.132-RC, < 5.3.8.236 → fixed: 5.3.8.236
- Maven `org.lucee:lucee` >= 5.3.9.113, < 5.3.9.173 → fixed: 5.3.9.173

## Affected products (CVE record)

- lucee Lucee: >= 5.4.0.0, < 5.4.3.2, >= 5.3.12.0, < 5.3.12.1, < 5.3.7.59, >= 5.3.8.0, < 5.3.8.236, >= 5.3.9.0, < 5.3.9.173

## Severity

- GitHub_M CVSS 3.1: 9.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 10.0 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation none , automatable no , technical impact partial .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 0.82% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 57.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-vwjx-mmwm-pwrf](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-vwjx-mmwm-pwrf)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2023-38693](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38693)
- [NVD entry CVE-2023-38693](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38693)
- [github.com](https://github.com/lucee/Lucee/security/advisories/GHSA-vwjx-mmwm-pwrf)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2023-38693/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt