Apache Syncope Groovy RCE Vulnerability Let Attackers Inject Malicious Code
## Apache Syncope Groovy RCE Vulnerability Details
Apache Syncope Groovy RCE Vulnerability Details
Apache Syncope, an open-source identity management system, is affected by a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in its Groovy scripting feature. This vulnerability is identified as CVE-2025-57738 .
The vulnerability impacts versions prior to 3.0.14 and 4.0.2, allowing administrators to upload malicious Groovy code executed with the full privileges of the Syncope Core process. Security researcher Mike Cole of Mantel Group discovered the flaw, which results from the absence of a sandbox environment for Groovy implementations. This could potentially lead to full system compromise.
Technical Specifications and Exploitation
Syncope allows users to extend core functionality via custom Java interfaces, implemented using Java classes or Groovy scripts. In affected versions, the GroovyClassLoader compiles and executes scripts without restrictions, exposing APIs such as Runtime.exec or ProcessBuilder to untrusted inputs. This allows delegated administrators to inject and execute arbitrary code on the server.
Apache Syncope, an open-source identity management system, is affected by a remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in its Groovy scripting feature.
Attackers can exploit this by creating a Groovy implementation of type REPORT_DELEGATE, binding it to a report, and triggering execution through REST endpoints like POST /syncope/rest/reports/{key}/execute. The code runs under the Syncope service account, which often has elevated privileges in enterprise deployments.
Apache has addressed this issue in versions 3.0.14 and 4.0.2 by implementing a Groovy sandbox that restricts hazardous operations through classloading restrictions and policy enforcement. Users are advised to upgrade immediately, as binary patches are unavailable. Rebuilding from the source may be necessary, and verification can be done by attempting exploitation steps to ensure sandbox violations log errors without executing code.
For interim protection on vulnerable versions, it is recommended to disable Groovy engines and use vetted Java implementations via CI/CD pipelines .
Based on reporting by Cyber Security News.