Deserialization exploitation in Apache Dubbo

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

9.8 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS

• CVE-2020-11995: 5.93% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 93.26 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

A deserialization vulnerability existed in dubbo 2.7.5 and its earlier versions, which could lead to malicious code execution. Most Dubbo users use Hessian2 as the default serialization/deserialization protool, during Hessian2 deserializing the HashMap object, some functions in the classes stored in HashMap will be executed after a series of program calls, however, those special functions may cause remote command execution. For example, the hashCode() function of the EqualsBean class in rome-1.7.0.jar will cause the remotely load malicious classes and execute malicious code by constructing a malicious request. This issue was fixed in Apache Dubbo 2.6.9 and 2.7.8.

Published by the source

9 Feb 2022, 22:27 UTC

Last modified by the source

1 Feb 2023, 05:05 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:06 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-74mg-6xqx-2vrq

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2020-11995

Advisory: Deserialization exploitation in Apache Dubbo
IDs: CVE-2020-11995, GHSA-74mg-6xqx-2vrq
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2020-11995 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:06 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.apache.dubbo:dubbo-parent 2.7.8, 2.6.9. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.apache.dubbo:dubbo-parent: affected >= 2.7.0, < 2.7.8; < 2.6.9; fixed in 2.6.9, 2.7.8

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.apache.dubbo:dubbo-parent: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.apache.dubbo:dubbo-parent.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-74mg-6xqx-2vrq (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-74mg-6xqx-2vrq lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.dubbo:dubbo-parent >=2.7.0 =0 <2.6.9)

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