# Basic Java Deserialization (ObjectInputStream, readObject)
🎙️ HackTricks LIVE Twitch Wednesdays 5.30pm (UTC) 🎙️ - 🎥 Youtube 🎥
* Do you work in a **cybersecurity company**? Do you want to see your **company advertised in HackTricks**? or do you want to have access to the **latest version of the PEASS or download HackTricks in PDF**? Check the [**SUBSCRIPTION PLANS**](https://github.com/sponsors/carlospolop)!
* Discover [**The PEASS Family**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family), our collection of exclusive [**NFTs**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family)
* Get the [**official PEASS & HackTricks swag**](https://peass.creator-spring.com)
* **Join the** [**💬**](https://emojipedia.org/speech-balloon/) [**Discord group**](https://discord.gg/hRep4RUj7f) or the [**telegram group**](https://t.me/peass) or **follow** me on **Twitter** [**🐦**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks/tree/7af18b62b3bdc423e11444677a6a73d4043511e9/\[https:/emojipedia.org/bird/README.md)[**@carlospolopm**](https://twitter.com/carlospolopm)**.**
* **Share your hacking tricks by submitting PRs to the** [**hacktricks repo**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks) **and** [**hacktricks-cloud repo**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks-cloud).
In this POST it's going to be explained an example using java.io.Serializable.
## Serializable
The Java `Serializable` interface (`java.io.Serializable` is a marker interface your classes must implement if they are to be **serialized** and **deserialized**. Java object serialization (writing) is done with the [ObjectOutputStream](http://tutorials.jenkov.com/java-io/objectoutputstream.html) and deserialization (reading) is done with the [ObjectInputStream](http://tutorials.jenkov.com/java-io/objectinputstream.html).
Lets see an example with a **class Person** which is **serializable**. This class **overwrites the readObject** function, so when **any object** of this **class** is **deserialized** this **function** is going to be **executed**.\
In the example, the **readObject function** of the class Person calls the function `eat()` of his pet and the function `eat()` of a Dog (for some reason) calls a **calc.exe**. **We are going to see how to serialize and deserialize a Person object to execute this calculator:**
```java
import java.io.Serializable;
import java.io.*;
public class TestDeserialization {
interface Animal {
public void eat();
}
//Class must implements Serializable to be serializable
public static class Cat implements Animal,Serializable {
@Override
public void eat() {
System.out.println("cat eat fish");
}
}
//Class must implements Serializable to be serializable
public static class Dog implements Animal,Serializable {
@Override
public void eat() {
try {
Runtime.getRuntime().exec("calc");
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
System.out.println("dog eat bone");
}
}
//Class must implements Serializable to be serializable
public static class Person implements Serializable {
private Animal pet;
public Person(Animal pet){
this.pet = pet;
}
//readObject implementation, will call the readObject from ObjectInputStream and then call pet.eat()
private void readObject(java.io.ObjectInputStream stream)
throws IOException, ClassNotFoundException {
pet = (Animal) stream.readObject();
pet.eat();
}
}
public static void GeneratePayload(Object instance, String file)
throws Exception {
//Serialize the constructed payload and write it to the file
File f = new File(file);
ObjectOutputStream out = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(f));
out.writeObject(instance);
out.flush();
out.close();
}
public static void payloadTest(String file) throws Exception {
//Read the written payload and deserialize it
ObjectInputStream in = new ObjectInputStream(new FileInputStream(file));
Object obj = in.readObject();
System.out.println(obj);
in.close();
}
public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
// Example to call Person with a Dog
Animal animal = new Dog();
Person person = new Person(animal);
GeneratePayload(person,"test.ser");
payloadTest("test.ser");
// Example to call Person with a Cat
//Animal animal = new Cat();
//Person person = new Person(animal);
//GeneratePayload(person,"test.ser");
//payloadTest("test.ser");
}
}
```
This example was taken from
### Conclusion
As you can see in this very basic example, the "vulnerability" here appears because the **readObject** function is **calling other vulnerable functions**.
🎙️ HackTricks LIVE Twitch Wednesdays 5.30pm (UTC) 🎙️ - 🎥 Youtube 🎥
* Do you work in a **cybersecurity company**? Do you want to see your **company advertised in HackTricks**? or do you want to have access to the **latest version of the PEASS or download HackTricks in PDF**? Check the [**SUBSCRIPTION PLANS**](https://github.com/sponsors/carlospolop)!
* Discover [**The PEASS Family**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family), our collection of exclusive [**NFTs**](https://opensea.io/collection/the-peass-family)
* Get the [**official PEASS & HackTricks swag**](https://peass.creator-spring.com)
* **Join the** [**💬**](https://emojipedia.org/speech-balloon/) [**Discord group**](https://discord.gg/hRep4RUj7f) or the [**telegram group**](https://t.me/peass) or **follow** me on **Twitter** [**🐦**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks/tree/7af18b62b3bdc423e11444677a6a73d4043511e9/\[https:/emojipedia.org/bird/README.md)[**@carlospolopm**](https://twitter.com/carlospolopm)**.**
* **Share your hacking tricks by submitting PRs to the** [**hacktricks repo**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks) **and** [**hacktricks-cloud repo**](https://github.com/carlospolop/hacktricks-cloud).
---
# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:
```
GET https://breached.gitbook.io/dashboard/pentesting-web/deserialization/basic-java-deserialization-objectinputstream-readobject.md?ask=
```
The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.