MEDIUM CVSS 6.5
Published: 2025-03-20

CVE-2024-6863

h2o h2o Security Advisory (CVE-2024-6863)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2024-6863 impacting h2o h2o. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 6.5 (MEDIUM).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
In h2oai/h2o-3 version 3.46.0, an endpoint exposing a custom EncryptionTool allows an attacker to encrypt any files on the target server with a key of their choosing. The chosen key can also be overwritten, resulting in ransomware-like behavior. This vulnerability makes it possible for an attacker to encrypt arbitrary files with keys of their choice, making it exceedingly difficult for the target to recover the keys needed for decryption.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
None (C:N)
No data confidentiality impact
Integrity
Low (I:L)
Partial data modification possible
Availability
Low (A:L)
Partial service performance degradation

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product h2o / h2o
Affected Versions 3.46.0
Weakness Enumeration CWE-749

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2024-6863 impacting h2o h2o.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2024-6863.yaml
id: cve-2024-6863

info:
  name: h2o h2o - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: medium
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2024-6863 affecting h2o h2o.
    Evaluation: In h2oai/h2o-3 version 3.46.0, an endpoint exposing a custom EncryptionTool allows an attacker to encrypt any files on the target server with a key of...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2024-6863
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L
    cvss-score: 6.5
    cve-id: CVE-2024-6863
    cwe-id: CWE-749
  tags: cve,cve-2024-6863,h2o,h2o,medium

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "h2o"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2024-6863.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2024-6863
# Target: h2o h2o | CVSS: 6.5 (MEDIUM)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2024-6863 (h2o h2o)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against h2o h2o scope (3.46.0).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2024-6863.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2024-6863
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install h2o 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade h2o 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update h2o

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i h2o 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i h2o

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

🔗 Verified Technical References

Authorities
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Distributions
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2024-6863 in h2o h2o?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update h2o h2o packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2024-6863?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2024-6863?

CVE-2024-6863 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 6.5 (MEDIUM). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
6.5
MEDIUM SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2024-6863
Weakness CWE-749
Vendor h2o
Product h2o
Published 2025-03-20
Vector CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L