Summary
A vulnerability in h2oai/h2o-3 version 3.46.0.1 allows remote attackers to write arbitrary data to any file on the server. This is achieved by exploiting the /3/Parse endpoint to inject attacker-controlled data as the header of an empty file, which is then exported using the /3/Frames/framename/export endpoint. The impact of this vulnerability includes the potential for remote code execution and complete access to the system running h2o-3, as attackers can overwrite critical files such as private SSH keys or script files.
Impact
CVE-2024-5986 has a CVSS score of 9.1 (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
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.
Remediation advice
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2024-5986? CVE-2024-5986 is a critical-severity security vulnerability in ai.h2o:h2o-core (maven), affecting versions <= 3.46.0.1. No fixed version is listed yet.
- How severe is CVE-2024-5986? CVE-2024-5986 has a CVSS score of 9.1 (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 packages are affected by CVE-2024-5986?
ai.h2o:h2o-core(maven) (versions <= 3.46.0.1)h2o(pip) (versions <= 3.46.0.1)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2024-5986? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2024-5986 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2024-5986 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2024-5986 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-2024-5986 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.