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CVE-2020-1953

Remote code execution in Apache Commons Configuration

10.0 CriticalFix available

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

6.32%Up 1.0 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

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 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
7.5 HighAV: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 CriticalCVSS: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 CriticalCVSS: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 CriticalCVSS: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 CriticalCVSS: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 CriticalCVSS: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

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
org.apache.commons:commons-configuration2
Maven
2.2 up to 2.7
2.7
commons-configuration2
Debian:12
before 2.7-1
2.7-1
commons-configuration2
Debian:13
before 2.7-1
2.7-1
commons-configuration2
Debian:14
before 2.7-1
2.7-1
org.apache.commons:commons-configuration2
Maven
2.2 up to 2.7, plus listed versions
2.32.42.52.6
2.7
commons-configuration2
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
2.1.1-12.2-1
None known
commons-configuration2
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
2.2-1
None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliases, productsEUVD
first indexedCVE 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

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