Summary
OpenRefine Remote Code execution in project import with mysql jdbc url attack
An remote Code exec vulnerability allows any unauthenticated user to exec code on the server.
Details
Hi,Team,
i find openrefine support to import data from database,When use mysql jdbc to connect to database,It is vulnerable to jdbc url attacks,for example,unauthenticated attacker can get rce on the server through the mysql userializable If the mysql-connector-java version used on the server side is less than 8.20.
In order for the server to enable deserialization we need to set the autoDeserialize and queryInterceptors parameters in the connection string,As same with https://github.com/OpenRefine/OpenRefine/security/advisories/GHSA-qqh2-wvmv-h72m, since the concatenation string is a direct concatenation, it is possible to inject the required parameters after the other parameters.
And there is a commons-beanutils dependency library on the server side, which contains an RCE-capable deserialization exploit chain
PoC
env:
centos 7
openrefine 3.7.4
jdk11
mysql-connector-java version 8.14.0
you can use the tool https://github.com/4ra1n/mysql-fake-server to running a malicious mysql server.
for example use the CB 1.9 Gadget to exec command touch /tmp/hacked.
set the user to base64ZGVzZXJfQ0JfdG91Y2ggL3RtcC9oYWNrZWQ=(touch /tmp/hacked base64 encode),dataBaseName to test?autoDeserialize=true&queryInterceptors=com.mysql.cj.jdbc.interceptors.ServerStatusDiffInterceptor#.
command touch /tmp/hacked is executed.
Impact
An remote Code exec vulnerability allows any unauthenticated user to exec code on the server.
Untrusted input alters a database query, allowing the attacker to read or modify data the query was not intended to access. Typical impact: data disclosure or modification.
CVE-2023-41887 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. A fixed version is available (3.7.5); 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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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-41887? CVE-2023-41887 is a critical-severity SQL injection vulnerability in org.openrefine:database (maven), affecting versions <= 3.7.4. It is fixed in 3.7.5. Untrusted input alters a database query, allowing the attacker to read or modify data the query was not intended to access.
- How severe is CVE-2023-41887? CVE-2023-41887 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.openrefine:database are affected by CVE-2023-41887? org.openrefine:database (maven) versions <= 3.7.4 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-41887? Yes. CVE-2023-41887 is fixed in 3.7.5. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-41887 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-41887 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-2023-41887 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-2023-41887? Upgrade
org.openrefine:databaseto 3.7.5 or later.