CVE-2023-38647
Apache Helix: Deserialization vulnerability in Helix workflow and REST
An attacker can use SnakeYAML to deserialize java.net.URLClassLoader and make it load a JAR from a specified URL, and then deserialize javax.script.ScriptEngineManager to load code using that ClassLoader. This unbounded deserialization can likely lead to remote code execution. The code can be run in Helix REST start and Workflow creation.
Affect all the versions lower and include 1.2.0.
Affected products: helix-core, helix-rest
Mitigation: Short term, stop using any YAML based configuration and workflow creation. Long term, all Helix version bumping up to 1.3.0
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
An attacker can use SnakeYAML to deserialize java.net.URLClassLoader and make it load a JAR from a specified URL, and then deserialize javax.script.ScriptEngineManager to load code using that ClassLoader. This unbounded deserialization can likely lead to remote code execution. The code can be run in Helix REST start and Workflow creation.
Affect all the versions lower and include 1.2.0.
Affected products: helix-core, helix-rest
Mitigation: Short term, stop using any YAML based configuration and workflow creation. Long term, all Helix version bumping up to 1.3.0
- Record
CVE-2023-38647- 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
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List
Apache Helix: Deserialization vulnerability in Helix workflow and REST
An attacker can use SnakeYAML to deserialize java.net.URLClassLoader and make it load a JAR from a specified URL, and then deserialize javax.script.ScriptEngineManager to load code using that ClassLoader. This unbounded deserialization can likely lead to remote code execution. The code can be run in Helix REST start and Workflow creation.
Affect all the versions lower and include 1.2.0.
Affected products: helix-core, helix-rest
Mitigation: Short term, stop using any YAML based configuration and workflow creation. Long term, all Helix version bumping up to 1.3.0
- Record
CVE-2023-38647- 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
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2023-2088
An attacker can use SnakeYAML to deserialize java.net.URLClassLoader and make it load a JAR from a specified URL, and then deserialize javax.script.ScriptEngineManager to load code using that ClassLoader. This unbounded deserialization can likely lead to remote code execution. The code can be run in Helix REST start and Workflow creation.
Affect all the versions lower and include 1.2.0.
Affected products: helix-core, helix-rest
Mitigation: Short term, stop using any YAML based configuration and workflow creation. Long term, all Helix version bumping up to 1.3.0
- Record
EUVD-2023-2088- 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 - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-jhcr-hph9-g7wm
Deserialization vulnerability in Helix workflow and REST
An attacker can use SnakeYAML to deserialize java.net.URLClassLoader and make it load a JAR from a specified URL, and then deserialize javax.script.ScriptEngineManager to load code using that ClassLoader. This unbounded deserialization can likely lead to remote code execution. The code can be run in Helix REST start and Workflow creation.
Affect all the versions lower and include 1.2.0.
Affected products: helix-core, helix-rest
Mitigation: Short term, stop using any YAML based configuration and workflow creation. Long term, all Helix version bumping up to 1.3.0
- Record
GHSA-jhcr-hph9-g7wm- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - 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
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
Apache Helix: Deserialization vulnerability in Helix workflow and REST
An attacker can use SnakeYAML to deserialize java.net.URLClassLoader and make it load a JAR from a specified URL, and then deserialize javax.script.ScriptEngineManager to load code using that ClassLoader. This unbounded deserialization can likely lead to remote code execution. The code can be run in Helix REST start and Workflow creation.
Affect all the versions lower and include 1.2.0.
Affected products: helix-core, helix-rest
Mitigation: Short term, stop using any YAML based configuration and workflow creation. Long term, all Helix version bumping up to 1.3.0
- Record
CVE-2023-38647- 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
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-jhcr-hph9-g7wm
Deserialization vulnerability in Helix workflow and REST
An attacker can use SnakeYAML to deserialize java.net.URLClassLoader and make it load a JAR from a specified URL, and then deserialize javax.script.ScriptEngineManager to load code using that ClassLoader. This unbounded deserialization can likely lead to remote code execution. The code can be run in Helix REST start and Workflow creation.
Affect all the versions lower and include 1.2.0.
Affected products: helix-core, helix-rest
Mitigation: Short term, stop using any YAML based configuration and workflow creation. Long term, all Helix version bumping up to 1.3.0
- Record
GHSA-jhcr-hph9-g7wm- CVSS 4.0
- 9.3 Critical
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - 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
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
org.apache.helix:helix-coreMaven |
before 1.3.0 | 1.3.0 |
org.apache.helix:helix-restMaven |
before 1.3.0 | 1.3.0 |
org.apache.helix:helix-coreMaven |
before 1.3.0, plus listed versions 0.6.0-incubating0.6.1-incubating0.6.2-incubating0.6.30.6.4 Show 27 moreShow less0.6.50.6.60.6.70.6.80.6.90.7.0-incubating0.7.10.8.00.8.10.8.20.8.30.8.40.9.00.9.0.10.9.10.9.100.9.40.9.70.9.80.9.91.0.01.0.11.0.21.0.31.0.41.1.01.2.0 |
1.3.0 |
org.apache.helix:helix-restMaven |
before 1.3.0, plus listed versions 0.8.00.8.10.8.20.8.30.8.4 Show 15 moreShow less0.9.00.9.0.10.9.10.9.100.9.40.9.70.9.80.9.91.0.01.0.11.0.21.0.31.0.41.1.01.2.0 |
1.3.0 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases, published | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2023-38647 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Apache Helix, published July 26, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.95%, the 80th percentile. Fixed in org.apache.helix:helix-core 1.3.0.
References
lists.apache.org/thread/zyqxhv0lc2z9w3tgr8ttrdy2zfh5jvc4
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38647
github.com/apache/helix/commit/09d210fa29b18f3b4de8d32f2369dc2b31f71f43