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CVE-2023-38693

Severity9.8 Critical CVSS 3.1
Fixed in5.3.12.1, 5.4.3.2, 5.3.8.236, 5.3.9.173
WeaknessXML external entity (XXE) (CWE-611)
Published5 Mar 2025
Updated17 Jun 2026

Description

Lucee Server (or simply Lucee) is a dynamic, Java based, tag and scripting language used for rapid web application development. The Lucee REST endpoint is vulnerable to RCE via an XML XXE attack. This vulnerability is fixed in Lucee 5.4.3.2, 5.3.12.1, 5.3.7.59, 5.3.8.236, and 5.3.9.173.

Exploitation status

No public exploit

No exploit has been reported in the sources we check. Published a year ago.

  • CISA KEV not listed
  • VulnCheck KEV not listed
  • CISA Vulnrichment exploitation: none
  • Indexed PoC none indexed
  • EPSS 0.82% chance in 30 days

Waratek protection

Protected by Waratek

Waratek has a rule that blocks attacks on this vulnerability.

  • Protection full XXE
  • Action available security rule
  • Review automated Inferred
  • Record active
Decided by A vulnerability class already blocked by an ARMR security rule
Finding Protected by Waratek's ARMR xxe security rule, which blocks this class of attack at the JVM level without a rule written for this CVE specifically. The CVE's weakness is CWE-611: XML External Entity Reference.
Candidate fix https://github.com/lucee/Lucee/security/advisories/GHSA-vwjx-mmwm-pwrf : the maintainers' own security advisory: names the version that fixes it, so the fix is the difference between two releases

How to mitigate CVE-2023-38693

Upgrade the affected software to a release that fixes it: 5.3.12.1, 5.4.3.2, 5.3.8.236 or 5.3.9.173. Until you can, Waratek RASP blocks exploitation with its XXE rule. It runs inside the Java application, with no code changes.

Waratek RASP Runtime protection for Java applications

Affected software and releases

Maven packages

Affected and fixed versions, from OSV.dev
PackageIntroducedFixedLast affected
org.lucee:lucee 5.3.10.79-RC 5.3.12.1 unbounded
org.lucee:lucee 5.4.0.65-RC 5.4.3.2 unbounded
org.lucee:lucee 0 none 5.3.7.59
org.lucee:lucee 5.3.8.132-RC 5.3.8.236 unbounded
org.lucee:lucee 5.3.9.113 5.3.9.173 unbounded

Products and versions

1 product, 5 version entries
SourceVendorProductSchemeAffected versions
osv org.lucee lucee generic ≤ 5.3.7.59 · ≥ 5.3.8.132 and < 5.3.8.236 · ≥ 5.3.9.113 and < 5.3.9.173 · ≥ 5.3.10.79 and < 5.3.12.1 · ≥ 5.4.0.65 and < 5.4.3.2

References

URLTags
https://github.com/lucee/Lucee/security/advisories/GHSA-vwjx-mmwm-pwrf advisory
https://github.com/lucee/Lucee PACKAGE

Timeline

Published2025-03-05By the CVE Program.
NVD record modified2026-06-17NVD's own last-modified date for this record.