CVE-2023-38693Network attack vector

Unauthenticated code execution via REST endpoint XXE

Published Mar 5, 2025 · Updated Mar 6, 2025

XXE in the Lucee REST endpoint allows remote attackers to execute code by submitting crafted XML to an exposed REST route. The public advisory identifies external-entity processing in that endpoint, but Lucee has not disclosed the affected parser or execution chain. No authentication or user interaction is required; endpoint exposure permits code execution with the server process's privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.81%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

XXE in the Lucee REST endpoint allows remote attackers to execute code by submitting crafted XML to an exposed REST route. The public advisory identifies external-entity processing in that endpoint, but Lucee has not disclosed the affected parser or execution chain. No authentication or user interaction is required; endpoint exposure permits code execution with the server process's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-38693
Published
Mar 5, 2025
Updated
Mar 6, 2025
Vendor
Lucee Association Switzerland
Product
Lucee
Classifications
CWE-611, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 5, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 6, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=>= 5.3.12.0, < 5.3.12.1
  2. Affected versionversion=< 5.3.7.59
  3. Affected versionversion=>= 5.3.8.0, < 5.3.8.236
  4. Affected versionversion=>= 5.3.9.0, < 5.3.9.173
  5. Affected versionversion=>= 5.4.0.0, < 5.4.3.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Lucee Association Switzerland · Luceeversion=>= 5.3.12.0, < 5.3.12.1; version=< 5.3.7.59; version=>= 5.3.8.0, < 5.3.8.236; version=>= 5.3.9.0, < 5.3.9.173; version=>= 5.4.0.0, < 5.4.3.2

Published CVSS scores

9.8GitHub, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-611Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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