CVE-2024-31864
📋 TL;DR
This CVE-2024-31864 is a code injection vulnerability in Apache Zeppelin that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code when connecting to MySQL databases via JDBC drivers. It affects all Apache Zeppelin installations before version 0.11.1. Attackers can exploit this to gain unauthorized access, modify data, or compromise the entire Zeppelin server.
💻 Affected Systems
- Apache Zeppelin
📦 What is this software?
Zeppelin by Apache
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete server compromise allowing remote code execution, data theft, privilege escalation, and lateral movement to other systems in the network.
Likely Case
Unauthorized database access, data exfiltration, and potential execution of malicious code within the Zeppelin environment.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation, database access controls, and monitoring in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires network access to Zeppelin and ability to configure database connections. The vulnerability is similar to CVE-2020-11974, suggesting exploit patterns may be reused.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 0.11.1
Vendor Advisory: https://lists.apache.org/thread/752qdk0rnkd9nqtornz734zwb7xdwcdb
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Backup all Zeppelin notebooks and configurations. 2. Stop the Zeppelin service. 3. Download Apache Zeppelin 0.11.1 from the official website. 4. Replace the existing installation with version 0.11.1. 5. Restore configurations and notebooks. 6. Start the Zeppelin service. 7. Verify the version is 0.11.1.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Database Connections
linuxLimit Zeppelin's ability to connect to external databases by removing JDBC drivers and restricting network access.
sudo rm -rf /path/to/zeppelin/interpreter/jdbc/*.jar
sudo iptables -A OUTPUT -p tcp --dport 3306 -j DROP
Network Segmentation
allIsolate Zeppelin instances from production databases and restrict access to trusted IPs only.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable all JDBC interpreter connections in Zeppelin configuration
- Implement strict network access controls to limit Zeppelin's database connectivity
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Zeppelin version via web interface or configuration files. If version is below 0.11.1, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
grep 'zeppelin.version' /path/to/zeppelin/conf/zeppelin-site.xml || cat /path/to/zeppelin/VERSIONVerify Fix Applied:
After upgrade, verify version is 0.11.1 and test MySQL JDBC connections with safe test queries.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual JDBC connection attempts
- Malformed SQL queries in Zeppelin logs
- Unexpected interpreter process creation
Network Indicators:
- Zeppelin server making unexpected outbound connections to databases
- Unusual traffic patterns on MySQL port 3306
SIEM Query:
source="zeppelin.logs" AND ("jdbc" OR "mysql") AND ("error" OR "exception" OR "injection")🔗 References
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/04/09/8
- https://github.com/apache/zeppelin/pull/4709
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/752qdk0rnkd9nqtornz734zwb7xdwcdb
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11974
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/04/09/8
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/08/03/3
- https://github.com/apache/zeppelin/pull/4709
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/752qdk0rnkd9nqtornz734zwb7xdwcdb
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-11974
