CVE-2023-38155 is a deserialization vulnerability (CWE-502) identified in Microsoft Azure DevOps Server 2019.0.1, specifically affecting version 2019.0.0. Deserialization vulnerabilities occur when untrusted data is deserialized without proper validation, allowing attackers to manipulate serialized objects to execute arbitrary code. In this case, the vulnerability enables remote code execution (RCE) under certain conditions. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.0 (high), with an attack vector of local (AV:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and high attack complexity (AC:H). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability was reserved in July 2023 and published in September 2023. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the potential for severe impact exists if exploited. The vulnerability affects Azure DevOps Server installations, which are used for managing software development lifecycle processes, including source control, build automation, and deployment pipelines. Exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code on the server, potentially compromising the entire development environment and associated infrastructure.

For European organizations, exploitation of CVE-2023-38155 could lead to significant operational disruption and data breaches. Azure DevOps Server is widely used in enterprise environments for software development and deployment; a successful attack could compromise source code integrity, leak sensitive intellectual property, and disrupt continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. This could result in delayed software releases, introduction of malicious code into production environments, and loss of customer trust. Critical sectors such as finance, manufacturing, telecommunications, and government agencies that rely on Azure DevOps for internal or external software development are particularly at risk. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability means that attackers could gain persistent footholds, manipulate codebases, or cause denial of service conditions. Given the attack requires local access and low privileges, insider threats or attackers who have gained initial footholds could escalate their control substantially.

Organizations should immediately audit their Azure DevOps Server 2019.0.1 deployments to identify affected instances. Restrict local access to the server to trusted administrators only and enforce strict access controls and network segmentation to limit exposure. Monitor logs and system behavior for unusual deserialization activities or unexpected code execution patterns. Disable or restrict features that accept serialized input from untrusted sources if possible. Apply the principle of least privilege to service accounts and users interacting with the server. Since no official patches are linked yet, maintain close communication with Microsoft security advisories for updates and apply patches promptly once available. Consider deploying application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and block exploitation attempts. Conduct internal security awareness training to reduce the risk of insider threats exploiting this vulnerability. Finally, implement regular backups and incident response plans tailored to DevOps infrastructure compromise scenarios.