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IgniteApplication · Apache

CVE-2020-1963

CRITICAL · 9.1 CVSS v3.1 Published 2020-06-03
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to after 2.8.0 or later.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Apache Ignite uses H2 database to build SQL distributed execution engine. H2 provides SQL functions which could be used by attacker to access to a filesystem.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Apache Ignite's SQL execution engine uses the H2 database, which contains built-in SQL functions (like CSVREAD, SCRIPT, etc.) capable of reading and writing to the filesystem. An attacker with SQL query ability can invoke these functions to read sensitive files, write arbitrary content, or potentially achieve remote code execution.

MitigationDisable or restrict dangerous H2 SQL functions (CSVREAD, SCRIPT, etc.) in the H2 configuration, or upgrade H2 to a version where these functions are properly sandboxed, and verify that SQL users cannot bypass restrictions.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
IgniteApplication
Affected:<= 2.8.0

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify Apache Ignite version
    Run 'ignite.sh --version' or check the ignite-core JAR manifest, or query the node via control.sh script: control.sh --version
    Affected if version is 2.8.0 or lower
  2. Verify SQL engine is enabled
    Check node configuration XML for ' ignite:sql' attribute or inspect the SQL flag in the startup configuration. Also check if any SQL endpoints (JDBC/ODBC) are exposed.
    Affected if SQL execution engine is enabled and accessible to the user
  3. Inspect H2 configuration for dangerous functions
    Examine the H2 connection URL or configuration properties. Look for whether the CSVREAD, SCRIPT, and similar H2 functions are explicitly allowed or sandboxed. Check the 'SESSION' or 'DATABASE' settings in the Ignite configuration for H2 restrictions.
    Affected if dangerous H2 functions like CSVREAD, SCRIPT are not explicitly disabled or sandboxed in the configuration
  4. Confirm user has SQL query capability
    Determine if the user in question has permissions to execute arbitrary SQL queries against the Ignite cluster. This may be via JDBC/ODBC connection, REST API, or thin client with query execution privileges.
    Affected if the attacker can submit SQL queries to the cluster without restrictions
  5. Test for function availability (if authorized)
    If you have query access, run a test query like 'SELECT CSVREAD('<file>')' or 'SELECT SCRIPT()' to confirm the functions are callable. Otherwise, inspect logs for attempted misuse.
    Affected if H2 SQL functions that access the filesystem are callable and not blocked

You are affected if running Apache Ignite version 2.8.0 or lower with the SQL engine enabled and without H2 function restrictions configured, allowing any untrusted user to execute filesystem-accessing H2 SQL functions.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to a release after 2.8.0
Interim mitigation

Disable or restrict dangerous H2 SQL functions (CSVREAD, SCRIPT, etc.) in the H2 configuration, or upgrade H2 to a version where these functions are properly sandboxed, and verify that SQL users cannot bypass restrictions.

Recommended fix High confidence

Apache Ignite 2.8.1

  1. 1. Download Apache Ignite version 2.8.1 or later from the official Apache Ignite download page
  2. 2. Stop all running Apache Ignite nodes in your cluster
  3. 3. Backup your Ignite configuration files and any persistent data directories
  4. 4. Replace the Ignite installation with version 2.8.1 or later
  5. 5. Ensure your configuration files are compatible with the new version
  6. 6. Restart the Ignite nodes in your cluster
  7. 7. Verify that SQL queries work correctly after the upgrade
Caveat Review release notes for any configuration or API changes between 2.8.0 and 2.8.1; test thoroughly in non-production first

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Ignite Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA3.0 h
21.0 hours of engineering $3,680
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An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,888.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-1963 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data