{"id":"CVE-2014-3120","published":"2014-07-28T19:55:04Z","modified":"2026-06-17T00:07:37Z","title":"Elasticsearch Remote Code Execution Vulnerability","vendor":"Elastic","product":"Elasticsearch","tier":"core","eol":null,"description":{"text":"The default configuration in Elasticsearch before 1.2 enables dynamic scripting, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary MVEL expressions and Java code via the source parameter to _search.  NOTE: this only violates the vendor's intended security policy if the user does not run Elasticsearch in its own independent virtual machine.","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"summary":{"text":"Elasticsearch versions before 1.2 contain a flaw in the default configuration, which enables dynamic scripting and lets remote attackers execute arbitrary MVEL expressions and Java code through the source parameter of the _search endpoint. Exploitation requires network access and low privileges, with no user interaction, and the issue is a policy violation only where the user has not run Elasticsearch in its own independent virtual machine.","provenance":"ai","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","generatedAt":"2026-10-29T07:11:14Z"},"cvss":{"score":8.1,"severity":"HIGH","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"epss":{"score":0.88559,"percentile":0.99772,"date":"2026-10-28","provenance":"source"},"kev":{"dateAdded":"2022-03-25","dueDate":"2022-04-15","ransomware":false,"requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","notes":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-3120","provenance":"source"},"vulncheckKev":{"dateAdded":"2022-03-25","exploitedFirstSeen":"2022-03-25","ransomware":false,"evidence":[{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","date":"2022-03-25"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2023-11-29&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2014-3120","date":"2023-11-29"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2023-12-07&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2014-3120","date":"2023-12-07"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2024-01-17&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2014-3120","date":"2024-01-17"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2024-01-23&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2014-3120","date":"2024-01-23"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2024-01-27&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2014-3120","date":"2024-01-27"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2024-02-12&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2014-3120","date":"2024-02-12"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2024-02-15&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2014-3120","date":"2024-02-15"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2024-02-16&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2014-3120","date":"2024-02-16"},{"url":"https://dashboard.shadowserver.org/statistics/honeypot/vulnerability/map/?day=2024-02-19&host_type=src&vulnerability=cve-2014-3120","date":"2024-02-19"}],"evidenceTotal":114,"provenance":"source"},"exploited":true,"otx":{"pulseCount":50,"pulses":[{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev 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Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.found.no/foundation/elasticsearch-security/#staying-safe-while-developing-with-elasticsearch","tags":["Exploit"]},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2014-3120","tags":["US Government Resource"]}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1190","name":"Exploit Public-Facing Application","tactics":["initial-access"],"provenance":"ai","basis":"ai-mapping","bases":["ai-mapping"],"basisDetail":"claude-haiku-5-5: remote exploitation of public-facing Elasticsearch search endpoint","mappingType":"exploitation_technique","evidence":[{"from":"description","quote":"allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary MVEL expressions","start":87,"end":148}],"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"AI-mapped from the description (quote-validated, not expert-reviewed)"},{"id":"T1059","name":"Command and Scripting 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expert-reviewed)"}],"reports":[],"affected":[{"ecosystem":"Maven","package":"org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch","vulnerableRanges":["<1.4.0.Beta1"],"patched":["1.4.0.Beta1"],"from":["GHSA-mrfm-jxgf-2h6v"],"provenance":"source"}],"advisories":[{"id":"GHSA-mrfm-jxgf-2h6v","url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-mrfm-jxgf-2h6v","severity":"HIGH","ecosystem":"Maven","package":"org.elasticsearch:elasticsearch","vulnerableRanges":["<1.4.0.Beta1"],"patched":["1.4.0.Beta1"],"provenance":"source","from":"GHSA"}],"euvd":{"id":"EUVD-2022-5879","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2022-5879","exploited":true,"exploitedSince":"2022-03-25","provenance":"source"},"exploits":[{"id":33370,"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/33370","title":"ElasticSearch - Remote Code Execution","type":"webapps","platform":"multiple","date":"2014-05-15","verified":true,"provenance":"source"},{"id":33588,"url":"https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/33588","title":"ElasticSearch Dynamic Script - 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