---
title: "CVE-2023-6038: H2O local file inclusion vulnerability"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2023-6038/
description: "CVE-2023-6038 (ai.h2o:h2o-core (Maven)): A Local File Inclusion (LFI) vulnerability exists in the h2o-3 REST API, allowing unauthenticated remote attackers…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2023-11-16
date_modified: 2024-08-29
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2023-6038"
kev: false
cvss: 9.3
epss: 0.0434
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2023-6038: H2O local file inclusion 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?

- 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.

## Affected packages

- Maven `ai.h2o:h2o-core` <= 3.40.0.4 → fixed: none listed

## Affected products (CVE record)

- h2oai h2oai/h2o-3: unspecified <= latest

## Severity

- @huntr_ai CVSS 3.0: 9.3 `CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N`
- GitHub CVSS 3.1: 9.3 `CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:L/A:N`

## Exploitation

- 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.

## Sources

- [GitHub Advisory GHSA-6mv8-95x5-xcq9](https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6mv8-95x5-xcq9)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2023-6038](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-6038)
- [NVD entry CVE-2023-6038](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-6038)
- [huntr.com](https://huntr.com/bounties/380fce33-fec5-49d9-a101-12c972125d8c)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2023-6038/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt