A critical security flaw in the Apache Avro Java Software Development Kit (SDK), tracked as CVE-2024-47561, poses a significant threat to systems using this data serialization framework. A successful exploitation allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable instances. Continue reading this Cybersecurity Threat Advisory to learn how you can mitigate your risk.
What is the threat?
CVE-2024-47561 affects Apache Avro Java SDK 1.11.3 and prior versions. The vulnerability arises from the way the SDK handles deserialization of untrusted data. An attacker can craft a specially formatted Avro message and when it is deserialized by a vulnerable instance, it can trigger the execution of arbitrary code.
Why is this noteworthy?
Apache Avro library and its related components (Hadoop, Kafka, etc.) are integrated into thousands of projects. It is well-known for its ability to provide a compact binary format and schema evolution capabilities, which are critical for large data processing frameworks. The community and enterprise users of Avro include companies in the tech, finance, and telecommunications sectors, utilizing it as part of their data pipelines to ensure high efficiency in data serialization and deserialization tasks across distributed environments.
What is the exposure or risk?
This flaw is particularly severe for applications that allow user-provided schemas, as these can be manipulated to trigger the vulnerability. Once exploited, attackers can gain control over vulnerable systems and use them for further malicious activities. Attackers can disrupt the availability of vulnerable systems by causing them to crash or become unresponsive. Additionally, attackers can access sensitive data stored or processed by vulnerable systems.
What are the recommendations?
Barracuda recommends the following actions to limit the impact of this RCE vulnerability:
- Upgrade to Apache Avro Java SDK version 1.11.4 or 1.12.0 of the Apache Avro Java SDK.
- Avoid processing user-provided Avro schemas without proper validation and sanitization.
- Implement 24/7 network monitoring, such as Barracuda XDR Network Security, to monitor for unusual Avro traffic, especially in Kafka environments.
- Apply intrusion detection/prevention systems to monitor for exploitation attempts.
References
For more in-depth information about the recommendations, please visit the following links:
If you have any questions about this Cybersecurity Threat Advisory, please contact Barracuda XDR’s Security Operations Center.
