CVE-2017-15708
Remote Code Execution in Apache Synapse
In Apache Synapse, by default no authentication is required for Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI). So Apache Synapse 3.0.1 or all previous releases (3.0.0, 2.1.0, 2.0.0, 1.2, 1.1.2, 1.1.1) allows remote code execution attacks that can be performed by injecting specially crafted serialized objects. And the presence of Apache Commons Collections 3.2.1 (commons-collections-3.2.1.jar) or previous versions in Synapse distribution makes this exploitable. To mitigate the issue, we need to limit RMI access to trusted users only. Further upgrading to 3.0.1 version will eliminate the risk of having said Commons Collection version. In Synapse 3.0.1, Commons Collection has been updated to 3.2.2 version.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
9.8
In Apache Synapse, by default no authentication is required for Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI). So Apache Synapse 3.0.1 or all previous releases (3.0.0, 2.1.0, 2.0.0, 1.2, 1.1.2, 1.1.1) allows remote code execution attacks that can be performed by injecting specially crafted serialized objects. And the presence of Apache Commons Collections 3.2.1 (commons-collections-3.2.1.jar) or previous versions in Synapse distribution makes this exploitable. To mitigate the issue, we need to limit RMI access to trusted users only. Further upgrading to 3.0.1 version will eliminate the risk of having said Commons Collection version. In Synapse 3.0.1, Commons Collection has been updated to 3.2.2 version.
- Record
CVE-2017-15708- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.5 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
In Apache Synapse, by default no authentication is required for Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI). So Apache Synapse 3.0.1 or all previous releases (3.0.0, 2.1.0, 2.0.0, 1.2, 1.1.2, 1.1.1) allows remote code execution attacks that can be performed by injecting specially crafted serialized objects. And the presence of Apache Commons Collections 3.2.1 (commons-collections-3.2.1.jar) or previous versions in Synapse distribution makes this exploitable. To mitigate the issue, we need to limit RMI access to trusted users only. Further upgrading to 3.0.1 version will eliminate the risk of having said Commons Collection version. In Synapse 3.0.1, Commons Collection has been updated to 3.2.2 version.
- Record
CVE-2017-15708- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-1465 No score
In Apache Synapse, by default no authentication is required for Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI). So Apache Synapse 3.0.1 or all previous releases (3.0.0, 2.1.0, 2.0.0, 1.2, 1.1.2, 1.1.1) allows remote code execution attacks that can be performed by injecting specially crafted serialized objects. And the presence of Apache Commons Collections 3.2.1 (commons-collections-3.2.1.jar) or previous versions in Synapse distribution makes this exploitable. To mitigate the issue, we need to limit RMI access to trusted users only. Further upgrading to 3.0.1 version will eliminate the risk of having said Commons Collection version. In Synapse 3.0.1, Commons Collection has been updated to 3.2.2 version.
- Record
EUVD-2020-1465- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-p694-23q3-rvrc
9.8
Remote Code Execution in Apache Synapse
In Apache Synapse, by default no authentication is required for Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI). So Apache Synapse 3.0.1 or all previous releases (3.0.0, 2.1.0, 2.0.0, 1.2, 1.1.2, 1.1.1) allows remote code execution attacks that can be performed by injecting specially crafted serialized objects. And the presence of Apache Commons Collections 3.2.1 (commons-collections-3.2.1.jar) or previous versions in Synapse distribution makes this exploitable. To mitigate the issue, we need to limit RMI access to trusted users only. Further upgrading to 3.0.1 version will eliminate the risk of having said Commons Collection version. In Synapse 3.0.1, Commons Collection has been updated to 3.2.2 version.
- Record
GHSA-p694-23q3-rvrc- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-74, CWE-502
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-p694-23q3-rvrc
9.8
Remote Code Execution in Apache Synapse
In Apache Synapse, by default no authentication is required for Java Remote Method Invocation (RMI). So Apache Synapse 3.0.1 or all previous releases (3.0.0, 2.1.0, 2.0.0, 1.2, 1.1.2, 1.1.1) allows remote code execution attacks that can be performed by injecting specially crafted serialized objects. And the presence of Apache Commons Collections 3.2.1 (commons-collections-3.2.1.jar) or previous versions in Synapse distribution makes this exploitable. To mitigate the issue, we need to limit RMI access to trusted users only. Further upgrading to 3.0.1 version will eliminate the risk of having said Commons Collection version. In Synapse 3.0.1, Commons Collection has been updated to 3.2.2 version.
- Record
GHSA-p694-23q3-rvrc- CVSS 3.1
- 9.8 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-502, CWE-74
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
org.apache.synapse:synapse-coreMaven |
before 3.0.1 | 3.0.1 |
org.apache.synapse:synapse-coreMaven |
before 3.0.1, plus listed versions 1.01.11.1.11.1.21.22.0.02.1.03.0.0 |
3.0.1 |
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| PoC in GitHub | HuSoul/CVE-2017-15708 | 2017-12-18 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2017-15708 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Apache Synapse, published December 11, 2017. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 17.9%, the 97th percentile. Fixed in org.apache.synapse:synapse-core 3.0.1.
References
securityfocus.com/bid/102154
lists.apache.org/thread.html/77f2accf240d25d91b47033e2f8ebec84ffbc6e6627112b2f98b66c9%40%3Cdev.synapse.apache.org%3E
oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2020.html
oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2020.html
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r0fb289cd38c915b9a13a3376134f96222dd9100f1ef66b41631865c6%40%3Ccommits.doris.apache.org%3E
security.gentoo.org/glsa/202107-37
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nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-15708
lists.apache.org/thread.html/77f2accf240d25d91b47033e2f8ebec84ffbc6e6627112b2f98b66c9@%3Cdev.synapse.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r0fb289cd38c915b9a13a3376134f96222dd9100f1ef66b41631865c6@%3Ccommits.doris.apache.org%3E
github.com/advisories/GHSA-p694-23q3-rvrc