What is CVE-2021-41616?

CVE-2021-41616 is a critical-severity insecure deserialization vulnerability in org.apache.ddlutils:ddlutils (maven), affecting versions <= 1.0. No fixed version is listed yet. Untrusted serialized data is processed by a deserializer that can instantiate arbitrary objects or execute code as a side effect.

How severe is CVE-2021-41616?

CVE-2021-41616 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). 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.ddlutils:ddlutils are affected by CVE-2021-41616?

org.apache.ddlutils:ddlutils (maven) versions <= 1.0 is affected.

Is there a fix for CVE-2021-41616?

No fixed version is listed for CVE-2021-41616 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.

Is CVE-2021-41616 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2021-41616 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.

What actually determines whether CVE-2021-41616 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.

CVE-2021-41616 in org.apache.ddlutils:ddlutils

Q: How severe is CVE-2021-41616?

CVE-2021-41616 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). 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.

Q: Which versions of org.apache.ddlutils:ddlutils are affected by CVE-2021-41616?

org.apache.ddlutils:ddlutils (maven) versions <= 1.0 is affected.

Q: Is there a fix for CVE-2021-41616?

No fixed version is listed for CVE-2021-41616 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.

Q: Is CVE-2021-41616 exploitable, and should I be worried?

Whether CVE-2021-41616 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.

Q: What actually determines whether CVE-2021-41616 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.

Q: How do I fix CVE-2021-41616?

No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Avoid deserializing data from untrusted sources. If deserialization is required, use a format that does not support code execution and validate the input strictly.

Summary

Deserialization of Untrusted Data in org.apache.ddlutils:ddlutils

Apache DB DdlUtils 1.0 included a BinaryObjectsHelper that was intended for use when migrating database data with a SQL data type of BINARY, VARBINARY, LONGVARBINARY, or BLOB between databases using the ddlutils features. The BinaryObjectsHelper class was insecure and used ObjectInputStream.readObject without validating that the input data was safe to deserialize. Please note that DdlUtils is no longer being actively developed. To address the insecurity of the BinaryObjectHelper class, the following changes to DdlUtils have been made: (1) BinaryObjectsHelper.java has been deleted from the DdlUtils source repository and the DdlUtils feature of propagating data of SQL binary types is therefore no longer present in DdlUtils; (2) The ddlutils-1.0 release has been removed from the Apache Release Distribution Infrastructure; (3) The DdlUtils web site has been updated to indicate that DdlUtils is now available only as source code, not as a packaged release.

Impact

Untrusted serialized data is processed by a deserializer that can instantiate arbitrary objects or execute code as a side effect. Typical impact: arbitrary code execution or logic abuse.

CVE-2021-41616 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). The vector is network-reachable, no 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. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.

Affected versions

org.apache.ddlutils:ddlutils (<= 1.0)

Security releases

Not available

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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Remediation advice

No fixed version is listed for CVE-2021-41616 yet.

In the interim: Avoid deserializing data from untrusted sources. If deserialization is required, use a format that does not support code execution and validate the input strictly.

Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2021-41616? CVE-2021-41616 is a critical-severity insecure deserialization vulnerability in org.apache.ddlutils:ddlutils (maven), affecting versions <= 1.0. No fixed version is listed yet. Untrusted serialized data is processed by a deserializer that can instantiate arbitrary objects or execute code as a side effect.
How severe is CVE-2021-41616? CVE-2021-41616 has a CVSS score of 9.8 (Critical). 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.ddlutils:ddlutils are affected by CVE-2021-41616? org.apache.ddlutils:ddlutils (maven) versions <= 1.0 is affected.
Is there a fix for CVE-2021-41616? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2021-41616 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
Is CVE-2021-41616 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2021-41616 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-2021-41616 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-2021-41616? No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Avoid deserializing data from untrusted sources. If deserialization is required, use a format that does not support code execution and validate the input strictly.