Improper Authentication in Apache Spark

Exploitation

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

CVSS 4.0

9.3 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2020-9480: 29.37% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 98.18 (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.

In Apache Spark 2.4.5 and earlier, a standalone resource manager's master may be configured to require authentication (spark.authenticate) via a shared secret. When enabled, however, a specially-crafted RPC to the master can succeed in starting an application's resources on the Spark cluster, even without the shared key. This can be leveraged to execute shell commands on the host machine. This does not affect Spark clusters using other resource managers (YARN, Mesos, etc).

Published by the source

10 Feb 2022, 23:05 UTC

Last modified by the source

15 Oct 2024, 16:40 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 13:22 UTC

1. Revision 3 · amended · 26 Oct 2026

   Amended from ghsa record GHSA-wgx7-jwwm-cgjv

2. Revision 2 · amended · 25 Oct 2026

   Reviewed OSV alias/range/CVSS4 correction; package source scopes and original publication preserved. No customer finding resolved.

3. Revision 1 · created · 24 Oct 2026

   Published from osv record GHSA-wgx7-jwwm-cgjv

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2020-9480

Advisory: Improper Authentication in Apache Spark
IDs: CVE-2020-9480, GHSA-wgx7-jwwm-cgjv
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2020-9480 (revision 3, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 13:22 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.apache.spark:spark-parent_2.11 2.4.6; pyspark 2.4.6. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.apache.spark:spark-parent_2.11: affected <= 2.4.5; fixed in 2.4.6
- PyPI pyspark: affected < 2.4.6; fixed in 2.4.6

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.apache.spark:spark-parent_2.11: check the installed version with your package manager.
- `python -m pip show pyspark`: prints the installed version. Run with the environment that serves production active.

## 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.spark:spark-parent_2.11, pyspark.
- 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://osv.dev/vulnerability/GHSA-wgx7-jwwm-cgjv (OSV record GHSA-wgx7-jwwm-cgjv lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.spark:spark-parent_2.11 >=0 =0 <2.4.6 (fixed))
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-wgx7-jwwm-cgjv (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-wgx7-jwwm-cgjv lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.spark:spark-parent_2.11 >=0 =0 <2.4.6)

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