CVE-2024-6960
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 · uneditedThe H2O machine learning platform uses "Iced" classes as the primary means of moving Java Objects around the cluster. The Iced format supports inclusion of serialized Java objects. When a model is deserialized, any class is allowed to be deserialized (no class whitelist). An attacker can construct a crafted Iced model that uses Java gadgets and leads to arbitrary code execution when imported to the H2O platform.
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 confidenceH2O's Iced serialization format deserializes Java objects without class whitelist validation during model import. An attacker can embed malicious serialized Java gadgets in a crafted Iced model that executes arbitrary code upon deserialization, achieving remote code execution on the H2O platform.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
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
- High
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify H2O installation and versionRun 'pip show h2o' or check your Python environment for the installed h2o package version; if using H2O via other deployment methods, check the JAR file version or consult your package managerAffected if The installed H2O version falls within the vulnerable version range (check H2O release notes for CVE-2024-6960 patched versions)
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Verify model import functionality is accessibleCheck if the H2O REST API or UI endpoints for model import are exposed; look for endpoints such as /3/ModelBuilders/files or similar import-related routes in your H2O configurationAffected if Model import from file sources is enabled and accessible to users or automated processes
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Inspect serialization configurationReview H2O configuration files (such as h2o.conf or equivalent) for any settings related to Iced deserialization, class validation, or model loading; check for custom class whitelist configurationsAffected if No class whitelist validation is configured for Iced deserialization, or whitelist enforcement is disabled
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Audit user access to model import featuresReview H2O user permissions and group memberships; check if unauthenticated or low-privileged users can submit model files for import via API or UIAffected if Users without proper vetting can import models from file sources into the H2O environment
Your environment is affected if you run a vulnerable H2O version AND have model import functionality enabled without class whitelist validation, allowing untrusted users to load custom Iced model files.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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.
From vendor dataDisable model import from untrusted sources and implement class whitelist validation for Iced deserialization to restrict allowed classes; if vendor patches are available, upgrade immediately.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation12.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,720.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-6960 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2024-6960 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- 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
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