CVE-2026-55223
c3p0 exposes a deserialization "sink" via JDBC DataSource bean properties
Description
c3p0 is a JDBC Connection pooling library. In versions prior to 0.14.0, c3p0 in combination with other libraries, can compose to a "sink" for deserialization gadgets. The JDBC spec's DataSource.getConnection() and ConnectionPoolDataSource.getPooledConnection() match the getXXX() form, so JavaBean libraries treat them as "properties" assumed safe while they actually call into JDBC drivers. Attackers can thus craft malicious DataSource objects whose property lookups invoke vulnerable drivers, then smuggle them in serialized form to where an application deserializes and auto-resolves bean properties — triggering the attack. This requires a susceptible DataSource/ConnectionPoolDataSource and JDBC driver on the CLASSPATH, plus a carrier that auto-looks-up JavaBean properties on = deserialization, most commonly a collection paired with an Apache commons-beanutils Comparator that sorts by bean properties. c3p0 supplied that susceptible DataSource/ConnectionPoolDataSource, which was an essential component of the trigger. This issue has been fixed in version 0.14.0.
INFO
Published Date :
June 30, 2026, 11:17 p.m.
Last Modified :
Oct. 25, 2026, 5:10 p.m.
Remotely Exploit :
Yes !
Source :
[email protected]
CVSS Scores
| Score | Version | Severity | Vector | Exploitability Score | Impact Score | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS | 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 | |||||
| CVSS 4.0 | MEDIUM | [email protected] |
Solution
- Update c3p0 library to version 0.14.0 or later.
- Remove malicious DataSource objects.
- Remove vulnerable JDBC drivers.
- Validate deserialized objects.
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2026-55223.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/swaldman/c3p0/commit/7b022c4b6694dabc6204254dc917af9c38f2cb27 | |
| https://github.com/swaldman/c3p0/security/advisories/GHSA-w6w4-rjh9-9r58 |
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2026-55223 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2026-55223
weaknesses.
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2026-55223 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2026-55223 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
CVE Translated by [email protected]
Oct. 25, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Translation Title: c3p0 de swaldman, Description: c3p0 es una biblioteca de pooling de conexiones JDBC. En versiones anteriores a la 0.14.0, c3p0, en combinación con otras bibliotecas, puede componer un ’sumidero’ para gadgets de deserialización. DataSource.getConnection() y ConnectionPoolDataSource.getPooledConnection() de la especificación JDBC coinciden con la forma getXXX(), por lo que las bibliotecas JavaBean los tratan como ’propiedades’ que se asumen seguras, mientras que en realidad llaman a los controladores JDBC. Los atacantes pueden así crear objetos DataSource maliciosos cuyas búsquedas de propiedades invocan controladores vulnerables, para luego introducirlos de forma serializada donde una aplicación deserializa y auto-resuelve las propiedades del bean, lo que desencadena el ataque. Esto requiere un DataSource/ConnectionPoolDataSource y un controlador JDBC susceptibles en el CLASSPATH, además de un portador que auto-busque las propiedades de JavaBean en la deserialización, más comúnmente una colección emparejada con un Comparator de Apache commons-beanutils que ordena por propiedades de bean. c3p0 suministró ese DataSource/ConnectionPoolDataSource susceptible, que fue un componente esencial del desencadenante. Este problema ha sido solucionado en la versión 0.14.0. -
CVE Modified by 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
Jul. 01, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added SSVC {'id': 'CVE-2026-55223', 'role': 'CISA Coordinator', 'options': [{'exploitation': 'none'}, {'automatable': 'yes'}, {'technicalImpact': 'partial'}], 'version': '2.0.3', 'timestamp': '2026-07-01T13:37:58.554398Z'} -
New CVE Received by [email protected]
Jun. 30, 2026
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Affected [{'vendor': 'swaldman', 'product': 'c3p0', 'versions': [{'status': 'affected', 'version': '< 0.14.0'}]}] Added Description c3p0 is a JDBC Connection pooling library. In versions prior to 0.14.0, c3p0 in combination with other libraries, can compose to a "sink" for deserialization gadgets. The JDBC spec's DataSource.getConnection() and ConnectionPoolDataSource.getPooledConnection() match the getXXX() form, so JavaBean libraries treat them as "properties" assumed safe while they actually call into JDBC drivers. Attackers can thus craft malicious DataSource objects whose property lookups invoke vulnerable drivers, then smuggle them in serialized form to where an application deserializes and auto-resolves bean properties — triggering the attack. This requires a susceptible DataSource/ConnectionPoolDataSource and JDBC driver on the CLASSPATH, plus a carrier that auto-looks-up JavaBean properties on = deserialization, most commonly a collection paired with an Apache commons-beanutils Comparator that sorts by bean properties. c3p0 supplied that susceptible DataSource/ConnectionPoolDataSource, which was an essential component of the trigger. This issue has been fixed in version 0.14.0. Added CVSS V4.0 AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X Added CWE CWE-502 Added CWE CWE-915 Added Reference https://github.com/swaldman/c3p0/commit/7b022c4b6694dabc6204254dc917af9c38f2cb27 Added Reference https://github.com/swaldman/c3p0/security/advisories/GHSA-w6w4-rjh9-9r58