CVE-2016-8735 Apache Tomcat: login or permission bypass
In plain words: A door that should be locked is not: part of the system can be reached without a valid login or permission. The attacker gets in as a user or administrator without knowing a password.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Jun 2, 2023
What to do
- Install Apache's security update for Tomcat. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- Apache Tomcat Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
- Product
- Apache Tomcat
- CISA description
- Apache Tomcat contains an unspecified vulnerability that allows for remote code execution if JmxRemoteLifecycleListener is used and an attacker can reach Java Management Extension (JMX) ports. This CVE exists because this listener wasn't updated for consistency with the Oracle patched issues for CVE-2016-3427 which affected credential types.
- Type of flaw
- Login or permission bypass (CWE-284)
- Confirmed exploited
- May 12, 2023
- US federal patch deadline
- Jun 2, 2023
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Answering about CVE-2016-8735 ·
Questions about CVE-2016-8735
Is CVE-2016-8735 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2016-8735 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on May 12, 2023, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2016-8735?
Install Apache's security update for Tomcat. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2016-8735?
Only if you use Apache Tomcat. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.