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CriticalCISA KEVExploited in the wildPublic exploit

Unauthenticated RCE in ForgeRock AM via JATO Java Deserialization

IdentifiersCVE-2021-35464CWE-502· Deserialization of Untrusted Data

CVE-2021-35464 is a Java deserialization vulnerability in ForgeRock Access Management (AM/OpenAM) affecting versions before 7.0, including 6.0.0.x and 6.5 through 6.5.3 per the provided content. The flaw is in handling of the JATO framework page session data, specifically the jato.pageSession parameter on multiple pages. An unauthenticated attacker can send a single crafted request to a /ccversion/* endpoint to trigger unsafe deserialization and achieve remote code execution. The issue is attributed to use of the Sun ONE Application Framework (JATO) present in Java 8 or earlier deployments.

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows unauthenticated remote code execution on the affected ForgeRock AM server. This can lead to full compromise of the application server, theft of credentials and identity data, malware deployment, lateral movement, and use of the compromised identity service as an initial access vector into broader enterprise or cloud environments. The provided content also notes observed exploitation leading to code execution and privilege elevation over the Apache Tomcat user on an AWS-hosted instance, followed by abuse of instance role permissions.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

If immediate patching is not possible, reduce exposure of ForgeRock AM/OpenAM instances to untrusted networks, especially public internet access to vulnerable /ccversion/* paths. Apply compensating controls such as reverse-proxy filtering or WAF rules to block crafted requests targeting /ccversion/* and suspicious use of the jato.pageSession parameter. Restrict access to the service to trusted source networks where feasible, monitor for exploitation attempts and anomalous Tomcat/application activity, and review cloud/IAM permissions associated with compromised hosts.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade ForgeRock AM to a fixed release not affected by CVE-2021-35464; the provided content indicates versions before 7.0 are vulnerable. Where applicable, move off affected 6.0.0.x and 6.5/6.5.3-era deployments. Because the vulnerability is tied to unsafe deserialization in JATO, vendor patches or updated product versions that remove or harden this code path should be applied. Given active exploitation, incident response review for prior compromise is warranted after patching.
PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos (1 hidden).

VALID 1 / 2 TOTALView more in app
openam-CVE-2021-35464MaturityPoCVerified exploit

This repository is an exploit for CVE-2021-35464, a pre-authentication remote code execution vulnerability in ForgeRock OpenAM. The exploit is based on ysoserial and Java-Rce-Echo, and leverages Java deserialization to inject a memory shell into Tomcat, enabling arbitrary command execution via HTTP requests. The main exploit logic is in the Java files under src/ysoserial/payloads, particularly Click1.java (which constructs a malicious serialized object) and TomcatEchoInject.java (which implements the memory shell). The entry point is src/com/test/Main.java, which demonstrates generating the payload. The README provides a detailed example of the HTTP POST request required to trigger the vulnerability, targeting the /OpenAM/ccversion/Version endpoint. The exploit requires the attacker to send a crafted serialized object to the vulnerable endpoint, after which commands can be executed on the server by including a 'cmd' header in subsequent requests. The repository is operational and provides a working exploit for the vulnerability, but does not include a fully weaponized, automated attack tool.

Y4erDisclosed Jul 1, 2021javanetwork
EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType
ForgerockAccess Managementapplication
ForgerockOpenamapplication

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Exposure mapping

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Threat actor evidence3

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware1

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Detection signatures2

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity1

Community discussion across Reddit, Mastodon, and other social sources.