Server shutdown via unexpected state POST
Published Mar 20, 2025 · Updated Oct 15, 2025
Denial of service in Lightning AI PyTorch Lightning 2.3.2 allows remote attackers to shut down LightningApp via a crafted state POST. The /api/v1/state handler accepts an unexpected state value without validation and lets the resulting uncaught exception terminate the server. Exploitation requires network access to a running LightningApp endpoint but no authentication or user interaction, and the bounded impact is service interruption by shutdown.
Summary
What happened
Denial of service in Lightning AI PyTorch Lightning 2.3.2 allows remote attackers to shut down LightningApp via a crafted state POST. The /api/v1/state handler accepts an unexpected state value without validation and lets the resulting uncaught exception terminate the server. Exploitation requires network access to a running LightningApp endpoint but no authentication or user interaction, and the bounded impact is service interruption by shutdown.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2024-8020
- Published
- Mar 20, 2025
- Updated
- Oct 15, 2025
- Vendor
- Lightning AI
- Product
- PyTorch Lightning
- Classifications
- CWE-248, T1499
- Attack vector
- network
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 20, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=unspecified <=latest
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Public exploit references
- Huntr proof-of-concept state requestproof of concept · unverified
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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