CVE-2017-12617 Apache Tomcat: dangerous file upload
In plain words: The program accepts files it should refuse, such as programs disguised as ordinary uploads. The attacker can place and run their own tools on the server.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Apr 15, 2022
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
- When running Apache Tomcat, it is possible to upload a JSP file to the server via a specially crafted request. This JSP could then be requested and any code it contained would be executed by the server.
- Type of flaw
- Dangerous file upload (CWE-434)
- Confirmed exploited
- Mar 25, 2022
- US federal patch deadline
- Apr 15, 2022
Ask Cleus about it
Ask about a vulnerability, an update, a weird message, or the news. Plain-word answers, free, no account.
Answering about CVE-2017-12617 ·
Questions about CVE-2017-12617
Is CVE-2017-12617 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2017-12617 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 25, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2017-12617?
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-2017-12617?
Only if you use Apache Tomcat. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.