CVE-2020-1953
Remote code execution in Apache Commons Configuration
Apache Commons Configuration uses a third-party library to parse YAML files which by default allows the instantiation of classes if the YAML includes special statements. Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 did not change the default settings of this library. So if a YAML file was loaded from an untrusted source, it could therefore load and execute code out of the control of the host application.
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
10.0
Apache Commons Configuration uses a third-party library to parse YAML files which by default allows the instantiation of classes if the YAML includes special statements. Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 did not change the default settings of this library. So if a YAML file was loaded from an untrusted source, it could therefore load and execute code out of the control of the host application.
- Record
CVE-2020-1953- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 7.5 High
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P - Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
Apache Commons Configuration uses a third-party library to parse YAML files which by default allows the instantiation of classes if the YAML includes special statements. Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 did not change the default settings of this library. So if a YAML file was loaded from an untrusted source, it could therefore load and execute code out of the control of the host application.
- Record
CVE-2020-1953- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-0415 No score
Apache Commons Configuration uses a third-party library to parse YAML files which by default allows the instantiation of classes if the YAML includes special statements. Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 did not change the default settings of this library. So if a YAML file was loaded from an untrusted source, it could therefore load and execute code out of the control of the host application.
- Record
EUVD-2020-0415- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7qx4-pp76-vrqh
10.0
Remote code execution in Apache Commons Configuration
Apache Commons Configuration uses a third-party library to parse YAML files which by default allows the instantiation of classes if the YAML includes special statements. Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 did not change the default settings of this library. So if a YAML file was loaded from an untrusted source, it could therefore load and execute code out of the control of the host application.
- Record
GHSA-7qx4-pp76-vrqh- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
10.0
Apache Commons Configuration uses a third-party library to parse YAML files which by default allows the instantiation of classes if the YAML includes special statements. Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 did not change the default settings of this library. So if a YAML file was loaded from an untrusted source, it could therefore load and execute code out of the control of the host application.
- Record
CVE-2020-1953- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2020-1953
10.0
Apache Commons Configuration uses a third-party library to parse YAML files which by default allows the instantiation of classes if the YAML includes special statements. Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 did not change the default settings of this library. So if a YAML file was loaded from an untrusted source, it could therefore load and execute code out of the control of the host application.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2020-1953- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-7qx4-pp76-vrqh
10.0
Remote code execution in Apache Commons Configuration
Apache Commons Configuration uses a third-party library to parse YAML files which by default allows the instantiation of classes if the YAML includes special statements. Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 did not change the default settings of this library. So if a YAML file was loaded from an untrusted source, it could therefore load and execute code out of the control of the host application.
- Record
GHSA-7qx4-pp76-vrqh- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-20
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-1953
10.0
Apache Commons Configuration uses a third-party library to parse YAML files which by default allows the instantiation of classes if the YAML includes special statements. Apache Commons Configuration versions 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 did not change the default settings of this library. So if a YAML file was loaded from an untrusted source, it could therefore load and execute code out of the control of the host application.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2020-1953- CVSS 3.1
- 10.0 Critical
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
org.apache.commons:commons-configuration2Maven |
2.2 up to 2.7 | 2.7 |
commons-configuration2Debian:12 |
before 2.7-1 | 2.7-1 |
commons-configuration2Debian:13 |
before 2.7-1 | 2.7-1 |
commons-configuration2Debian:14 |
before 2.7-1 | 2.7-1 |
org.apache.commons:commons-configuration2Maven |
2.2 up to 2.7, plus listed versions 2.32.42.52.6 |
2.7 |
commons-configuration2Ubuntu:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.1.1-12.2-1 |
None known |
commons-configuration2Ubuntu:20.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.2-1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, products | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2020-1953 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 10.0) in Apache Commons Configuration, published March 13, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 6.32%, the 93rd percentile. Fixed in org.apache.commons:commons-configuration2 2.7.
References
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rde2186ad6ac0d6ed8d51af7509244adcf1ce0f9a3b7e1d1dd3b64676%40%3Ccommits.camel.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/d0e00f2e147a9e9b13a6829133092f349b2882bf6860397368a52600%40%3Cannounce.tomcat.apache.org%3E
oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2020.html
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r16a2e949e35780c8974cf66104e812410f3904f752df6b66bf292269%40%3Ccommits.servicecomb.apache.org%3E
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1953
github.com/apache/commons-configuration/commit/add7375cf37fd316d4838c6c56b054fc293b4641
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lists.apache.org/thread.html/d0e00f2e147a9e9b13a6829133092f349b2882bf6860397368a52600@%3Cannounce.tomcat.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rde2186ad6ac0d6ed8d51af7509244adcf1ce0f9a3b7e1d1dd3b64676@%3Ccommits.camel.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r16a2e949e35780c8974cf66104e812410f3904f752df6b66bf292269@%3Ccommits.servicecomb.apache.org%3E
github.com/advisories/GHSA-7qx4-pp76-vrqh
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2020-1953
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-1953
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/03/13/1
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-1953