CVE-2020-9480: In Apache Spark 2.4.5 and earlier, a standalone resource manager's master may be configured to require authentication (spark.authenticate) via a share...

Description

In Apache Spark 2.4.5 and earlier, a standalone resource manager's master may be configured to require authentication (spark.authenticate) via a shared secret. When enabled, however, a specially-crafted RPC to the master can succeed in starting an application's resources on the Spark cluster, even without the shared key. This can be leveraged to execute shell commands on the host machine. This does not affect Spark clusters using other resource managers (YARN, Mesos, etc).

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

9.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

29.16%

97.9th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-306

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Apache	Spark	<= 2.4.5
Oracle	Business Intelligence	5.5.0.0.0

References

Timeline

Published: Jun 23, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-9480?

In Apache Spark 2.4.5 and earlier, a standalone resource manager's master may be configured to require authentication (spark.authenticate) via a shared secret. When enabled, however, a specially-crafted RPC to the master can succeed in starting an application's resources on the Spark cluster, even without the shared key. This can be leveraged to execute shell commands on the host machine. This does not affect Spark clusters using other resource managers (YARN, Mesos, etc).

How severe is CVE-2020-9480?

CVE-2020-9480 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 29.16% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-9480?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.