Apache Warns of Critical Vulnerability in Struts 2
Vulnerabilities mentionedAll →
| CVE | Vulnerability | CVSS | EPSS | Flags | Affected | Exposure | Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2017-5638 | Unauthenticated RCE in Apache Struts Jakarta Multipart parser CVE-2017-5638 is an improper input validation flaw (CWE-20) in the Jakarta Multipart parser of Apache Struts, in which the parser mishandles the Content-Type value of a file upload and allows malicious upload leading to remote code execution. It is triggered remotely without authentication by sending a crafted Content-Type header in a multipart request to a Struts endpoint; no valid upload or credentials are required. A successful attacker gains code execution in the security context of the application server, which typically enables host compromise, data theft, or ransomware deployment. Any organization running Apache Struts applications that use the Jakarta Multipart parser is affected; the provided data specifies only "Apache Struts" and gives no version ranges. Exploitation is confirmed in the wild: the flaw is listed in CISA KEV (added 2021-11-03) with known ransomware use, EPSS assigns it roughly a 100% exploitation probability (100th percentile), and no public PoC is catalogued in the source data. Do: Apply updates per vendor instructions: upgrade Apache Struts to the releases that fix this flaw (2.3.32 / 2.5.10.1 or later, per Apache advisory S2-045), and check for Struts jars bundled inside application packages and vendor appliances. Prioritize internet-facing apps, and as an interim mitigation validate or filter the Content-Type header on multipart requests. Because exploitation is in the wild and ransomware use is known, also review web and application server logs for evidence of successful compromise. | 9.8 | 100% | KEV ransomware PoC ×10 |
| masslikely hundreds of thousands of deployments (tens of thousands of Struts hosts were internet-exposed in public scans) | |
| CVE-2023-50164 | An attacker can manipulate file upload params to enable paths traversal and under some circumstances this can lead to uploading a malicious file which can be us An attacker can manipulate file upload params to enable paths traversal and under some circumstances this can lead to uploading a malicious file which can be used to perform Remote Code Execution. Users are recommended to upgrade to versions Struts 2.5.33 or Struts 6.3.0.2 or greater to fix this issue. NVD description · AI analysis pending | 9.8 | 81% |
| — |
Full article375 words · extracted from infosecurity-magazine.com · click to collapse
Apache has warned customers of a critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability in its popular Struts 2 framework.
Apache Struts 2 is an open-source web application framework for developing Java EE web applications.
The new vulnerability, CVE-2023-50164, has been given a maximum severity rating and affects Struts 2.0.0-2.3.37 (EOL), Struts 2.5.0-2.5.32, and Struts 6.0.0-6.3.0.
“An attacker can manipulate file upload parameters to enable path traversal and under some circumstances this can lead to uploading a malicious file which can be used to perform remote code execution,” explained a summary from Atlassian Confluence.
Struts 2 developers and users are urged to immediately upgrade to version 2.5.33, or Struts 6.3.0.2 or greater.
Read more on Apache Struts 2: Equifax Has Spent Nearly $1.4bn on Breach Costs
“This is a high severity vulnerability since it’s not just a simple directory traversal vulnerability. Any vulnerable Struts 2 implementation that allows file uploads allows an attacker to upload malicious files and thereby execute code,” explained Qualys security research manager, Mayuresh Dani. “Depending on the application installation, the code could execute with the privileges of the web server or a designated user.”
He added that if customers can’t patch immediately, they should ensure that applications are configured to only accept authorized file types and to limit the size of uploaded files.
“Apache Struts helps build sophisticated, contemporary Java web apps,” explained Qualys technical content developer, Diksha Ojha. “It is expandable through plugin architecture, prioritizes convention over configuration, and comes with AJAX, REST, and JSON plugins.”
Users would be advised to follow Apache’s guidance on patching, given a major Struts 2 vulnerability that Equifax failed to patch ultimately led to a hugely damaging breach at the credit agency back in 2017.
Although an update was issued to fix CVE-2017-5638 on March 7 2017, the bug went unpatched and internal scanning processes at the firm didn’t work as intended.
That allowed threat actors to exploit the CVE and access the network on March 10 2017 via a consumer complaint web portal, taking advantage of poor segmentation and passwords and usernames stored in plain text to move laterally.
Threat researchers later warned that tens of thousands of applications running Struts 2 could have been targeted by malicious actors in the same way unless patched.
Text extracted automatically; images, tables and formatting may be missing. Original: https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/apache-warns-critical/