Summary
Remote Code Execution in Apache Dubbo
Apache Dubbo supports various rules to support configuration override or traffic routing (called routing in Dubbo). These rules are loaded into the configuration center (eg: Zookeeper, Nacos, ...) and retrieved by the customers when making a request in order to find the right endpoint. When parsing these YAML rules, Dubbo customers will use SnakeYAML library to load the rules which by default will enable calling arbitrary constructors. An attacker with access to the configuration center he will be able to poison the rule so when retrieved by the consumers, it will get RCE on all of them. This was fixed in Dubbo 2.7.13, 3.0.2
Impact
Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command. Typical impact: arbitrary command execution in the application's environment.
CVE-2021-36162 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). The vector is network-reachable, low privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (2.7.13, 3.0.2); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
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org.apache.dubbo:dubbo to 2.7.13 or later; org.apache.dubbo:dubbo to 3.0.2 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2021-36162? CVE-2021-36162 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in org.apache.dubbo:dubbo (maven), affecting versions < 2.7.13. It is fixed in 2.7.13, 3.0.2. Untrusted input is inserted into a command that is later executed by the application, allowing the attacker to alter the intent of that command.
- How severe is CVE-2021-36162? CVE-2021-36162 has a CVSS score of 8.8 (High). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
- Which versions of org.apache.dubbo:dubbo are affected by CVE-2021-36162? org.apache.dubbo:dubbo (maven) versions < 2.7.13 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2021-36162? Yes. CVE-2021-36162 is fixed in 2.7.13, 3.0.2. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2021-36162 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2021-36162 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2021-36162 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2021-36162?
- Upgrade
org.apache.dubbo:dubboto 2.7.13 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.dubbo:dubboto 3.0.2 or later
- Upgrade