Security Digest · Critical advisory (no CVE assigned)
GHSA-h8w2-rv57-vc6f: splunk-otel-javaagent: Unsafe deserialization in RMI instrumentation may lead to Remote Code Execution
In versions prior to 2.26.1, the RMI instrumentation registered a custom endpoint that deserialized incoming data without applying serialization filters.
CVSS 9.3 Critical GitHub-reviewed · critical
Should you act?
- Only if you depend on one of the packages below, directly or transitively, in a vulnerable version. Check your lockfile with
mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=<groupId>:<artifactId>. - No CVE has been assigned, so it will not appear in CVE-based scanners that ignore GitHub advisories.
npm audit,pip-auditand Dependabot do read GitHub advisories.
Affected packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable | First fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maven | com.splunk:splunk-otel-javaagent | < 2.26.1 | 2.26.1 |
Details
In versions prior to 2.26.1, the RMI instrumentation registered a custom endpoint that deserialized incoming data without applying serialization filters. An attacker with network access to a JMX or RMI port on an instrumented JVM could exploit this to potentially achieve remote code execution. All three of the following conditions must be true to exploit this vulnerability: 1. Splunk Distribution of OpenTelemetry Java is attached as a Java agent (-javaagent) 2. An RMI endpoint is network-reachable (e.g. JMX remote port, an RMI registry, or any application-exported RMI service) 3. A gadget-chain-compatible library is present on the classpath
Impact Arbitrary remote code execution with the privileges of the user running the instrumented JVM.
Recommendation Upgrade to version 2.26.1 or later.
Workarounds Set the following system property to disable the RMI integration:
References Advisory in OpenTelemetry Instrumentation for Java
CVSS: 9.3 (v4.0) CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
Sources and references
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-h8w2-rv57-vc6f github.com
- github.com github.com
- github.com github.com