Apache Spark: Shell command injection via Spark UI
** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** The Apache Spark UI offers the possibility to enable ACLs via the configuration option spark.acls.enable. With an authentication filter, this checks whether a user has access permissions to view or modify the application. If ACLs are enabled, a code path in HttpSecurityFilter can allow someone to perform impersonation by providing an arbitrary user name. A malicious user might then be able to reach a permission check function that will ultimately build a Unix shell command based on their input, and execute it. This will result in arbitrary shell command execution as the user Spark is currently running as. This issue was disclosed earlier as CVE-2022-33891, but incorrectly claimed version 3.1.3 (which has since gone EOL) would not be affected. NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer. Users are recommended to upgrade to a supported version of Apache Spark, such as version 3.4.0.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
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We use this product, ask for help- Published
- May 2, 2023
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 76.0% · 100th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-77
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Report tools
Action score
58
Plan
Add it to your regular patch cycle.
- CVSS
- 35 / 40 · 8.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 23 / 30 · 76.0%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| apache | spark | cpe:2.3:a:apache:spark |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- apache sparkup to 3.0.3 inclusive
- apache spark3.1.1 and later · up to 3.1.3 inclusive
- apache spark3.2.0 and later · up to 3.2.1 inclusive
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (apache). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Apache Software Foundation Apache Spark
- 3.1.1 and later · before 3.2.2affected · semver
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maven | org.apache.spark:spark-parent_2.12 | from 3.1.1 · before 3.2.2 | 3.2.2 |
| PyPI | pyspark | from 3.1.1 · before 3.2.2 | 3.2.2 |
| PyPI | pyspark | from 3.1.1 · before 3.2.2 | 3.2.2 |
| PyPI | pyspark | before 3.2.2 | 3.2.2 |
Same product
apache: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2022-33891Apache Spark shell command injection vulnerability via Spark UIKEV93Now
- CVE-2020-9480In Apache Spark 2.4.5 and earlier, a standalone resource manager's master may be configured to require authentication (spark.authenticate) v48Plan
- CVE-2018-17190In all versions of Apache Spark, its standalone resource manager accepts code to execute on a 'master' host, that then runs that code on 'wo42Plan
- CVE-2023-22946Apache Spark proxy-user privilege escalation from malicious configuration class39Monitor
- CVE-2025-54920Apache Spark: Spark History Server Code Execution Vulnerability37Monitor
- CVE-2018-11770From version 1.3.0 onward, Apache Spark's standalone master exposes a REST API for job submission, in addition to the submission mechanism u36Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Apache Software Foundation Apache Spark | 3.2.2 | Vendor (CNA) |
| Maven:org.apache.spark:spark-parent_2.12 | 3.2.2 | Package registry (OSV) |
| PyPI:pyspark | 3.2.2 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
- Sven Krewitt, Flashpointreporter
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-77 · Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- LDAP InjectionCAPEC-136likelihood: High · High
- Command DelimitersCAPEC-15likelihood: High · High
- IMAP/SMTP Command InjectionCAPEC-183Medium
- Command InjectionCAPEC-248likelihood: Medium · High
- Manipulating Writeable Terminal DevicesCAPEC-40likelihood: High · Very High
- Exploiting Multiple Input Interpretation LayersCAPEC-43likelihood: Medium · High
- Manipulating Writeable Configuration FilesCAPEC-75likelihood: High · Very High
- Manipulating Web Input to File System CallsCAPEC-76likelihood: High · Very High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2023/05/02/1
- lists.apache.org/thread/poxgnxhhnzz735kr1wos366l5vdbb0nv
- spark.apache.org/security.html
- www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-33891
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.