AvroApplication · Apache
CVE-2025-33042
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 · uneditedImproper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection') vulnerability in Apache Avro Java SDK when generating specific records from untrusted Avro schemas. This issue affects Apache Avro Java SDK: all versions through 1.11.4 and version 1.12.0. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 1.12.1 or 1.11.5, which fix the issue.
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 confidenceApache Avro Java SDK contains a code injection vulnerability where processing untrusted Avro schemas allows injection of arbitrary code during the dynamic code generation phase when specific record types are parsed. An attacker providing a maliciously crafted Avro schema can execute arbitrary code in the context of the application processing the schema.
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
AvroApplication
< 1.11.5= 1.12.0CVSS 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
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
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 the installed Apache Avro Java SDK versionLocate the avro JAR file in your project dependencies (e.g., in pom.xml, build.gradle, or the compiled classpath) and note its version numberAffected if The installed version is lower than 1.11.5 or equals 1.12.0 exactly
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Determine if Avro schema parsing is in useSearch your codebase for usages of Schema.parse(), Schema.Parser, or any code that reads and parses Avro schema definitions from external sourcesAffected if Your application parses Avro schemas, especially from files, network inputs, or user-provided data
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Check if schemas are processed from untrusted sourcesReview input handling logic to identify whether Avro schema definitions originate from unauthenticated or external sources such as user uploads, API payloads, or remote servicesAffected if Avro schemas are processed from untrusted or unauthenticated sources
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Identify dynamic code generation usageLook for code that triggers Avro's reflection-based code generation, typically involving SpecificDatumReader, SpecificRecord, or custom record schema definitions with complex typesAffected if Your application uses Avro's dynamic code generation when parsing record schemas
You are affected if your Apache Avro Java SDK version is below 1.11.5 or exactly 1.12.0 AND your application processes Avro schemas from untrusted sources using dynamic record type parsing.
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.
dbcve · scoped1.11.5
Upgrade Apache Avro Java SDK to version 1.11.5 or 1.12.1. Until upgraded, do not process Avro schemas from untrusted or unauthenticated sources.
1.11.5 or 1.12.1 (Java SDK)
- Identify the Avro Java SDK dependency in your project (Maven pom.xml, Gradle build.gradle, or other build configuration)
- Locate the current Avro dependency declaration (typically org.apache.avro:avro)
- Update the version to 1.11.5 or 1.12.1 - for Maven change to <version>1.11.5</version> or <version>1.12.1</version>, for Gradle change to implementation 'org.apache.avro:avro:1.11.5' or implementation 'org.apache.avro:avro:1.12.1'
- Run your build tool to resolve the new dependency (mvn clean install or gradle build)
- Test your application to ensure the upgrade does not break existing functionality
- Verify that untrusted Avro schemas are not processed without proper validation if your application handles external input
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Avro
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 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 $4,096.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2025-33042 — 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-2025-33042 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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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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