swaldman c3p0 up to 0.11.x JNDI Interface ConnectionPoolDataSource deserialization

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in swaldman c3p0 up to 0.11.x. This impacts the function ConnectionPoolDataSource of the component JNDI Interface. The manipulation results in deserialization. This vulnerability was named CVE-2026-27830. The attack needs to be approached within the local network. There is no available exploit. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in swaldman c3p0 up to 0.11.x. It has been classified as problematic. Affected is the function ConnectionPoolDataSource of the component JNDI Interface. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a deserialization vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-502. The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently verifying that the resulting data will be valid. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

c3p0, a JDBC Connection pooling library, is vulnerable to attack via maliciously crafted Java-serialized objects and `javax.naming.Reference` instances. Several c3p0 `ConnectionPoolDataSource` implementations have a property called `userOverridesAsString` which conceptually represents a `Map<String,Map<String,String>>`. Prior to v0.12.0, that property was maintained as a hex-encoded serialized object. Any attacker able to reset this property, on an existing `ConnectionPoolDataSource` or via maliciously crafted serialized objects or `javax.naming.Reference` instances could be tailored execute unexpected code on the application's `CLASSPATH`. The danger of this vulnerability was strongly magnified by vulnerabilities in c3p0's main dependency, mchange-commons-java. This library includes code that mirrors early implementations of JNDI functionality, including ungated support for remote `factoryClassLocation` values. Attackers could set c3p0's `userOverridesAsString` hex-encoded serialized objects that include objects "indirectly serialized" via JNDI references. Deserialization of those objects and dereferencing of the embedded `javax.naming.Reference` objects could provoke download and execution of malicious code from a remote `factoryClassLocation`. Although hazard presented by c3p0's vulnerabilites are exarcerbated by vulnerabilities in mchange-commons-java, use of Java-serialized-object hex as the format for a writable Java-Bean property, of objects that may be exposed across JNDI interfaces, represents a serious independent fragility. The `userOverridesAsString` property of c3p0 `ConnectionPoolDataSource` classes has been reimplemented to use a safe CSV-based format, rather than rely upon potentially dangerous Java object deserialization. c3p0-0.12.0+ and above depend upon mchange-commons-java 0.4.0+, which gates support for remote `factoryClassLocation` values by configuration parameters that default to restrictive values. c3p0 additionally enforces the new mchange-commons-java `com.mchange.v2.naming.nameGuardClassName` to prevent injection of unexpected, potentially remote JNDI names. There is no supported workaround for versions of c3p0 prior to 0.12.0.

The advisory is shared for download at github.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2026-27830 since 02/24/2026. The exploitability is told to be easy. The attack needs to approached within the local network. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available.

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 300173 (Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2026-27830), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 0.12.0 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch e14cbd8166e423e2e9a9d6f08b2add3433492d6e is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at github.com. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Tenable (300173) and CERT Bund (WID-SEC-2026-0694). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Affected

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux

Productinfo

Vendor

• swaldman

Name

• c3p0

Version

• 0.1
• 0.2
• 0.3
• 0.4
• 0.5
• 0.6
• 0.7
• 0.8
• 0.9
• 0.10
• 0.11

License

• open-source

Website

• Product: https://github.com/swaldman/c3p0/

CPE 2.3info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CPE 2.2info

• 🔒
• 🔒
• 🔒

CVSSv4info

CVSSv3info

CVSSv2info

Exploitinginfo

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Countermeasuresinfo

Timelineinfo

Sourcesinfo

Entryinfo

VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Discussion