Apache Tomcat: Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions
CVE-2024-52316 is a critical-severity improper check for unusual or exceptional conditions vulnerability in Apache Tomcat from Apache, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Apache Tomcat versions: 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.0-M26; 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.30; 9.0.0-M1 through 9.0.95, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 6.25% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 6.34% of all scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of Apache Tomcat you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on lists.apache.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Apache Tomcat | 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.0-M26; 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.30; 9.0.0-M1 through 9.0.95; 8.5.0 through 8.5.100 | Not stated |
| Apache | tomcat | 9.0.0-M1 through 9.0.95; 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.30; 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.0-M26 | Not stated |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 11.0 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).
Official description
Unchecked Error Condition vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. If Tomcat is configured to use a custom Jakarta Authentication (formerly JASPIC) ServerAuthContext component which may throw an exception during the authentication process without explicitly setting an HTTP status to indicate failure, the authentication may not fail, allowing the user to bypass the authentication process. There are no known Jakarta Authentication components that behave in this way. This issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.0-M26, from 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.30, from 9.0.0-M1 through 9.0.95. The following versions were EOL at the time the CVE was created but are known to be affected: 8.5.0 though 8.5.100. Other EOL versions may also be affected. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 11.0.0, 10.1.31 or 9.0.96, which fix the issue.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions
The product does not check or incorrectly checks for unusual or exceptional conditions that are not expected to occur frequently during day to day operation of the product.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Choose languages with features such as exception handling that force the programmer to anticipate unusual conditions that may generate exceptions. Custom exceptions may need to be developed to handle unusual business-logic conditions. Be careful not to pass sensitive exceptions back to the user (CWE-209, CWE-248).
- Check the results of all functions that return a value and verify that the value is expected.
- If using exception handling, catch and throw specific exceptions instead of overly-general exceptions (CWE-396, CWE-397). Catch and handle exceptions as locally as possible so that exceptions do not propagate too far up the call stack (CWE-705). Avoid unchecked or uncaught exceptions where feasible (CWE-248).
More Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions vulnerabilities (CWE-754)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Third-party and government advisories
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2024/11/18/2Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00009.htmlThird Party Advisory
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20250124-0003/Third Party Advisory
Other vulnerabilities in Apache Tomcat
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
- 8.1 High severity
Recent Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions vulnerabilities
- 7.3 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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