CVE-2024-46983: SOFA Hessian Remote Command Execution (RCE) Vulnerability
Summary
CVE-2024-46983: SOFA Hessian Remote Command Execution (RCE) Vulnerability. Affects com.alipay.sofa:hessian versions < 3.5.5. Fixed in 3.5.5. How to fix ↓
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Background
SOFA Hessian is a Java-based serialization protocol used for remote procedure calls. It is designed to facilitate communication between different services in a distributed system. The protocol employs a blacklist mechanism to prevent the deserialization of potentially harmful classes, enhancing security. However, this mechanism has been found to be vulnerable, allowing attackers to exploit it for remote command execution.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability arises from a flaw in the SOFA Hessian protocol's blacklist mechanism, which is intended to restrict the deserialization of dangerous classes. An attacker can bypass this protection using a specific gadget chain that relies solely on the Java Development Kit (JDK) without any third-party components. This could lead to remote command execution, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the server, potentially compromising the entire system.
How To Fix
Latest published version: 4.0.4 as of 23 Oct 2026
Upgrading to it may include breaking changes; the version below is the minimum fixed release for this vulnerability.
If you need the minimum change
3.5.5
This is the first release that contains the fix.
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Workaround
As a temporary measure, users can maintain their own blacklist by creating or modifying the file located in the directory 'external/serialize.blacklist'. This file should contain the classes that need to be restricted from deserialization to prevent potential exploitation.
Conclusion
The SOFA Hessian Remote Command Execution vulnerability (CVE-2024-46983) poses a significant risk to applications utilizing this serialization protocol. Users are urged to upgrade to version 3.5.5 to protect against potential exploits. Additionally, maintaining a custom blacklist can serve as a temporary workaround until the upgrade is completed.
See every vulnerability recorded for com.alipay.sofa:hessian →
FAQ
The CVSS score of this vulnerability is 9.8, indicating a high severity level.
If exploited, this vulnerability can lead to remote command execution, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected server.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
Users are strongly advised to upgrade to SOFA Hessian version 3.5.5 to mitigate this vulnerability.
Yes, users can create or modify the 'external/serialize.blacklist' file to manually restrict certain classes from being deserialized.
References
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