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SyncopeApplication · Apache

CVE-2025-57738

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-10-20
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 3.0.14 / 4.0.2 or later.
See remediation →
78/100
Remediation priority · High
Remotely reachable 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 Syncope offers the ability to extend / customize the base behavior on every deployment by allowing to provide custom implementations of a few Java interfaces; such implementations can be provided either as Java or Groovy classes, with the latter being particularly attractive as the machinery is set for runtime reload. Such a feature has been available for a while, but recently it was discovered that a malicious administrator can inject Groovy code that can be executed remotely by a running Apache Syncope Core instance. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 3.0.14 / 4.0.2, which fix this issue by forcing the Groovy code to run in a sandbox.

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 Syncope's Groovy extension feature allows administrators to provide custom Java/Groovy implementations that can be reloaded at runtime. The vulnerability allows a malicious administrator to inject Groovy code that executes remotely on the running Syncope Core instance due to missing sandbox controls. Version 3.0.14/4.0.2 fix this by enforcing sandbox execution for Groovy code.

MitigationUpgrade Apache Syncope to version 3.0.14 or 4.0.2 which implements sandboxing for Groovy code execution. Alternatively, audit administrator access and disable the Groovy extension feature if not required.

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
SyncopeApplication
Affected:>= 2.1.0, < 3.0.14>= 4.0.0, < 4.0.2

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
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/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 checks

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

  1. Determine installed Apache Syncope version
    Check the Syncope Core startup logs, the admin console 'About' page, or the WEB-INF/lib directory for the syncope-core JAR file version metadata
    Affected if The installed version falls within >= 2.1.0, < 3.0.14 OR >= 4.0.0, < 4.0.2
  2. Verify Groovy extension is in use
    Look for Groovy-related configuration in Syncope's conf directory, examine the admin console for Groovy extension settings, or search for .groovy script files in the deployment
    Affected if Groovy extension feature is enabled and custom Groovy implementations are configured
  3. Check for sandbox configuration
    Inspect Syncope's core configuration files for Groovy sandbox settings or examine the Groovy extension documentation configuration
    Affected if No sandbox enforcement is configured for the Groovy extension or the setting is absent/misconfigured

You are affected if your Syncope version is 2.1.0 through 3.0.13 or 4.0.0 through 4.0.1 AND the Groovy extension feature is enabled with custom scripts loaded without sandbox protection.

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 3.0.14 / 4.0.2 or later
Fixed in 3.0.144.0.2
Interim mitigation

Upgrade Apache Syncope to version 3.0.14 or 4.0.2 which implements sandboxing for Groovy code execution. Alternatively, audit administrator access and disable the Groovy extension feature if not required.

Recommended fix High confidence

3.0.14 for 3.0.x branch or 4.0.2 for 4.0.x branch

  1. 1. Back up the current Apache Syncope installation and its database before proceeding with the upgrade.
  2. 2. Determine your current major version branch (2.x, 3.x, or 4.x) to select the appropriate target version.
  3. 3. Download the fixed version: 3.0.14 if on the 3.0.x branch, or 4.0.2 if on the 4.0.x branch.
  4. 4. Stop the Apache Syncope Core service.
  5. 5. Install or upgrade to the downloaded fixed version following the standard Syncope upgrade documentation.
  6. 6. Verify the Groovy sandbox is active by reviewing the configuration for sandbox enforcement.
  7. 7. Restart the Apache Syncope Core service.
  8. 8. Test that existing Groovy extensions (if any) still function correctly under the sandboxed environment.
Caveat Review release notes for any deprecation or configuration changes between your current version and the target fixed version

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

Fix this in Syncope Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
24.0 hours of engineering $4,160
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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-2025-57738 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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