Security Digest · Vulnerability record
CVE-2023-6038: H2O local file inclusion vulnerability
A Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability exists in the h2o-3 REST API, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files on the server with the permissions of the user running the h2o-3 instance.
CVSS 9.3 Critical EPSS 4.3% · p91
Should you act?
Critical and remotely reachable
No known exploitation yet, but it is network-reachable without credentials. This signal is computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS data; it is not an editorial verdict.
- Not in CISA KEV, but CISA’s SSVC assessment records a public proof-of-concept, so attack code exists.
- EPSS 4.3%, percentile 91: FIRST’s model estimates a 4.3% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 91% of all scored CVEs (elevated). 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
ai.h2o:h2o-core(Maven) <= 3.40.0.4, no fixed version listed. Check your lockfile, including transitive dependencies.
What it is
A Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability exists in the h2o-3 REST API, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files on the server with the permissions of the user running the h2o-3 instance. This issue affects the default installation and does not require user interaction. The vulnerability can be exploited by making specific GET or POST requests to the ImportFiles and ParseSetup endpoints, respectively. This issue was identified in version 3.40.0.4 of h2o-3.
From the GitHub advisory
A Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability exists in the h2o-3 REST API, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers to read arbitrary files on the server with the permissions of the user running the h2o-3 instance. This issue affects the default installation and does not require user interaction. The vulnerability can be exploited by making specific GET or POST requests to the ImportFiles and ParseSetup endpoints, respectively. This issue was identified in version 3.40.0.4 of h2o-3.
Weakness type: CWE-862, CWE-29.
Product: ai.h2o:h2o-core (Maven) · Assigned by: @huntr_ai · Published: 2023-11-16
Affected and fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable | First fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maven | ai.h2o:h2o-core | <= 3.40.0.4 | none listed |
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions (per CVE record) |
|---|---|---|
| h2oai | h2oai/h2o-3 | unspecified <= latest |
Severity scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| @huntr_ai | 3.0 | 9.3 Critical | CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N |
| GitHub | 3.1 | 9.3 | CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N |
- Attack vector: network (remotely reachable)
- Attack complexity: low
- Privileges required: none (no login)
- User interaction: none
- Scope: changed (can affect other components)
CVSS measures how bad a flaw is if exploited, not how likely exploitation is. Read it next to the exploitation data below.
Exploitation and urgency
- CISA KEV: not listed (no confirmed in-the-wild exploitation known to CISA).
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation poc, automatable yes, technical impact partial.
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 4.34% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 91.
Timeline
- — CVE record published by @huntr_ai
- — GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-6mv8-95x5-xcq9 published (critical)
- — CVE record last updated
Sources and references
Original sources first. Version and fix details should always be confirmed against the vendor or project advisory.
Vulnerability records
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-6mv8-95x5-xcq9 github.com
- CVE.org record CVE-2023-6038 cve.org
- NVD entry CVE-2023-6038 nvd.nist.gov
Other references from the CVE record and advisory
- huntr.com huntr.com