CVE-2026-53751: DataEase H2 Database RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2026-53751 Overview

CVE-2026-53751 is a code injection vulnerability [CWE-94] in DataEase, an open source data visualization and analysis tool. Versions prior to 2.10.24 contain flawed JDBC URL validation logic for the H2 database driver. Attackers can exploit case-conversion differences between DataEase validation and H2 parsing using special Unicode characters. This bypass allows smuggling dangerous parameters such as INIT inside malicious H2 JDBC connection strings, resulting in arbitrary code execution on the server. The issue was fixed in DataEase version 2.10.24.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can achieve arbitrary code execution on DataEase servers by crafting H2 JDBC URLs that bypass URL validation and inject the INIT parameter to run arbitrary SQL and Java code.

Affected Products

DataEase versions prior to 2.10.24
Deployments exposing data source configuration endpoints
Instances permitting H2 database connections

Discovery Timeline

2026-07-07 - CVE-2026-53751 published to NVD
2026-07-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-53751

Vulnerability Analysis

DataEase validates user-supplied JDBC URLs before establishing database connections. The validator in JdbcUrlSecurityPolicy.java checks the URL prefix against an allow-list and scans for a blocklist of dangerous fragments such as INIT, RUNSCRIPT, and SCRIPT. The check relies on case-sensitive string comparison against a canonicalized URL.

H2's own URL parser normalizes input using Unicode-aware case folding. Certain Unicode characters produce different results when uppercased or lowercased in Java's default locale versus H2's parsing routine. An attacker can insert these characters into keywords like INIT so the DataEase blocklist match fails while H2 still recognizes and executes the smuggled parameter.

The H2 INIT parameter accepts arbitrary SQL executed at connection time. Combined with H2's CREATE ALIAS feature, this permits defining Java functions inline and invoking them, yielding remote code execution in the DataEase process context.

Root Cause

The root cause is inconsistent case handling between the validation layer and the H2 JDBC driver. JdbcUrlSecurityPolicy used String.contains and String.startsWith on a canonicalized form, which did not perform Unicode-insensitive matching equivalent to H2's parser. This is a classic parser differential leading to filter bypass under [CWE-94].

Attack Vector

An authenticated user with permission to configure data sources supplies a crafted JDBC URL. The URL uses Unicode variants of characters within INIT or other blocked fragments. Validation passes, H2 processes the URL, and the smuggled INIT clause executes attacker-controlled SQL and Java on the server.

java

// Patch excerpt: JdbcUrlSecurityPolicy.java
// Switches to case-insensitive comparisons to align with H2 parsing
 String normalizedUrl = canonicalize(jdbcUrl);
 String normalizedExtraParams = canonicalize(extraParams);
 String expectedPrefix = JDBC_PREFIXES.get(normalizedType);
- if (StringUtils.isBlank(expectedPrefix) || !normalizedUrl.startsWith(expectedPrefix)) {
+ if (StringUtils.isBlank(expectedPrefix) || !startsWithIgnoreCase(normalizedUrl, expectedPrefix)) {
     DEException.throwException("Illegal jdbcUrl: " + jdbcUrl);
 }
 Set<String> dangerousFragments = new LinkedHashSet<>(COMMON_DANGEROUS_FRAGMENTS);
 dangerousFragments.addAll(TYPE_DANGEROUS_FRAGMENTS.getOrDefault(normalizedType, Set.of()));
 for (String fragment : dangerousFragments) {
-    if (normalizedUrl.contains(fragment) || normalizedExtraParams.contains(fragment)) {
+    if (containsIgnoreCase(normalizedUrl, fragment) || containsIgnoreCase(normalizedExtraParams, fragment)) {
         DEException.throwException("Illegal parameter: " + fragment);
     }
 }
// Source: https://github.com/dataease/dataease/commit/2204258118eac6160a6636ca20dbedb0d3f95747

The patch replaces case-sensitive checks with startsWithIgnoreCase and containsIgnoreCase so validation matches H2's own case-insensitive parsing.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-53751

Indicators of Compromise

JDBC URLs submitted to DataEase containing jdbc:h2: with non-ASCII Unicode characters inside keywords such as INIT, RUNSCRIPT, or SCRIPT
DataEase application logs showing new data source creation followed by unexpected child processes spawned by the DataEase JVM
H2 CREATE ALIAS statements or Java source strings appearing in query or debug logs
Outbound network connections initiated by the DataEase process to attacker-controlled hosts shortly after data source configuration

Detection Strategies

Inspect DataEase HTTP request bodies to /datasource endpoints for JDBC URL parameters containing non-ASCII characters or the substring INIT in any case variant
Monitor the DataEase JVM for anomalous child processes such as sh, bash, cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or curl
Alert on file writes by the DataEase process outside its expected working directories

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable audit logging on data source create and update operations, and forward events to a central SIEM
Baseline expected JDBC drivers used in production and alert on any use of the H2 driver where it is not required
Track DataEase process behavior for network egress and process creation deviations from baseline

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-53751

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade DataEase to version 2.10.24 or later, which contains the case-insensitive validation fix
Restrict data source configuration permissions to a minimal set of trusted administrators
Review existing data sources for H2 JDBC URLs and remove any that are not required
Rotate credentials and secrets accessible to the DataEase service account if compromise is suspected

Patch Information

The fix is available in DataEase Release v2.10.24. The code change is documented in GitHub Commit 2204258 and further described in the GHSA-xjhm-r8p8-c2cg Security Advisory.

Workarounds

Block the H2 JDBC driver at the network or application layer if H2 is not required in production
Place the DataEase management interface behind a VPN or IP allow-list to limit exposure of the data source configuration endpoints
Run the DataEase JVM as an unprivileged user with restricted filesystem and network egress to reduce post-exploitation impact

bash

# Example: verify DataEase version and upgrade via Docker
docker inspect --format '{{.Config.Image}}' dataease
docker pull dataease/dataease:v2.10.24
docker stop dataease && docker rm dataease
docker run -d --name dataease \
  -p 8100:8100 \
  -v /opt/dataease2.0/data:/opt/dataease2.0/data \
  dataease/dataease:v2.10.24