CVE-2023-49070
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on Apache OFBiz servers by exploiting a deprecated XML-RPC component. It affects all Apache OFBiz versions before 18.12.10. Attackers can gain complete control of vulnerable systems without any authentication.
💻 Affected Systems
- Apache OFBiz
📦 What is this software?
Ofbiz by Apache
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise leading to data theft, ransomware deployment, lateral movement within the network, and persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Remote code execution leading to web shell installation, credential harvesting, and initial access for further attacks.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper network segmentation, WAF rules, and intrusion detection are in place to block exploitation attempts.
🎯 Exploit Status
Public exploit code available. Pre-authentication required. Simple HTTP requests can trigger the vulnerability.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 18.12.10
Vendor Advisory: https://ofbiz.apache.org/release-notes-18.12.10.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup your OFBiz installation and database. 2. Download OFBiz 18.12.10 from https://ofbiz.apache.org/download.html. 3. Replace existing installation with new version. 4. Restart OFBiz service. 5. Verify upgrade completed successfully.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable XML-RPC endpoint
allRemove or block access to the vulnerable XML-RPC component
# Edit web.xml to remove XML-RPC servlet mapping
# Or configure firewall/WAF to block requests to /webtools/control/xmlrpc
Network segmentation and access control
linuxRestrict access to OFBiz instance to trusted networks only
# Configure firewall rules to limit OFBiz access
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8443 -s trusted_network -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8443 -j DROP
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict network access controls to limit exposure to trusted IPs only
- Deploy WAF with rules to detect and block XML-RPC exploitation patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check OFBiz version. If version is 18.12.09 or earlier, system is vulnerable. Also check if XML-RPC endpoint (/webtools/control/xmlrpc) is accessible.Check Version:
Check OFBiz version in web interface or examine release.properties file in OFBiz installation directoryVerify Fix Applied:
Verify OFBiz version is 18.12.10 or later. Test that XML-RPC endpoint is no longer functional or returns appropriate error.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual requests to /webtools/control/xmlrpc endpoint
- Suspicious Java process creation
- Unexpected file writes in web directories
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to XML-RPC endpoint with serialized Java objects
- Outbound connections from OFBiz server to unknown destinations
SIEM Query:
source="ofbiz.log" AND (uri_path="/webtools/control/xmlrpc" OR message="XML-RPC")🔗 References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/176323/Apache-OFBiz-18.12.09-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-12812
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/jmbqk2lp4t4483whzndp5xqlq4f3otg3
- https://ofbiz.apache.org/download.html
- https://ofbiz.apache.org/release-notes-18.12.10.html
- https://ofbiz.apache.org/security.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/176323/Apache-OFBiz-18.12.09-Remote-Code-Execution.html
- https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/OFBIZ-12812
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/jmbqk2lp4t4483whzndp5xqlq4f3otg3
- https://ofbiz.apache.org/download.html
- https://ofbiz.apache.org/release-notes-18.12.10.html
- https://ofbiz.apache.org/security.html
- https://www.vicarius.io/vsociety/posts/apache-ofbiz-authentication-bypass-vulnerability-cve-2023-49070-and-cve-2023-51467
