Weakness (CWE)
CWE-502: Deserialization of Untrusted Data
The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently ensuring that the resulting data will be valid.
How to prevent it (7 mitigations)
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Architecture and Design, Implementation
If available, use the signing/sealing features of the programming language to assure that deserialized data has not been tainted. For example, a hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) could be used to ensure that data has not been modified.
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Implementation
When deserializing data, populate a new object rather than just deserializing. The result is that the data flows through safe input validation and that the functions are safe.
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Implementation
Explicitly define a final object() to prevent deserialization.
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Architecture and Design, Implementation
Make fields transient to protect them from deserialization.
An attempt to serialize and then deserialize a class containing transient fields will result in NULLs where the transient data should be. This is an excellent way to prevent time, environment-based, or sensitive variables from being carried over and used improperly.
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Implementation
Avoid having unnecessary types or gadgets (a sequence of instances and method invocations that can self-execute during the deserialization process, often found in libraries) available that can be leveraged for malicious ends. This limits the potential for unintended or unauthorized types and gadgets to be leveraged by the attacker. Add only acceptable classes to an allowlist. Note: new gadgets are constantly being discovered, so this alone is not a sufficient mitigation.
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Architecture and Design, Implementation
Employ cryptography of the data or code for protection. However, it's important to note that it would still be client-side security. This is risky because if the client is compromised then the security implemented on the client (the cryptography) can be bypassed.
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Operation
Use an application firewall that can detect attacks against this weakness. It can be beneficial in cases in which the code cannot be fixed (because it is controlled by a third party), as an emergency prevention measure while more comprehensive software assurance measures are applied, or to provide defense in depth [REF-1481].
Source: MITRE CWE-502
330 results · Clear filters · Feed
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Unscored —
HTTPServerILServlet.java in JMS over HTTP Invocation Layer of the JbossMQ implementation, which is enabled by default i…
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Critical 9.8
Adobe ColdFusion 2016 Update 3 and earlier, ColdFusion 11 update 11 and earlier, ColdFusion 10 Update 22 and earlier ha…
KEV Feb 24, 2025 -
Critical 9.8
Deserialization of Untrusted Data in Log4j
In Apache Log4j 2.x before 2.8.2, when using the TCP socket server or UDP socket server to receive serialized log events from another application, a specially crafted binary payload can be sent that, when deserialized, can execute arbitrary code.
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Critical 9.8
Code Execution through IIFE in node-serialize
An issue was discovered in the node-serialize package 0.0.4 for Node.js. Untrusted data passed into the unserialize() function can be exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution by passing a JavaScript Object with an Immediately Invoked Function Expression …
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High 8.8
Jenkins allows Deserialization of Untrusted Data via an XML File
Multiple unspecified API endpoints in Jenkins before 1.650 and LTS before 1.642.2 allow remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via serialized data in an XML file, related to XStream and groovy.util.Expando.
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Critical 9.8
Serialized-object interfaces in certain IBM analytics, business solutions, cognitive, IT infrastructure, and mobile and…
KEV Jan 10, 2022 -
Critical 9.8
Insecure Deserialization in Apache Commons Collection
Serialized-object interfaces in certain Cisco Collaboration and Social Media; Endpoint Clients and Client Software; Network Application, Service, and Acceleration; Network and Content Security Devices; Network Management and Provisioning; Routing and Switchin…
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Critical 9.8
Jenkins CLI Deserialization of Untrusted Data vulnerability
The Jenkins CLI subsystem in Jenkins before 1.638 and LTS before 1.625.2 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted serialized Java object, related to a problematic webapps/ROOT/WEB-INF/lib/commons-collections-*.jar file and the "Groovy v…
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Critical 9.8
The WLS Security component in Oracle WebLogic Server 10.3.6.0, 12.1.2.0, 12.1.3.0, and 12.2.1.0 allows remote attackers…
KEV Nov 3, 2021 -
Medium —CVE-2011-2894 Public exploit
Spring Framework and Spring Security vulnerable to Deserialization of Untrusted Data
Spring Framework 3.0.0 through 3.0.5, Spring Security 3.0.0 through 3.0.5 and 2.0.0 through 2.0.6, and possibly other versions deserialize objects from untrusted sources, which allows remote attackers to bypass intended security restrictions and execute untru…