CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-55754NVD status: Modified

Apache Tomcat: Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-55754 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of escape, meta, or control sequences vulnerability in Apache Tomcat from Apache, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.6 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, but only if a user takes part, for example by opening a link or file. Affected Apache Tomcat versions: 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.10; 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.44; 9.0.40 through 9.0.108, 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 10.3% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 4.22% of all scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update SIMATIC CN 4100 to V5.0 or a later version.
  2. Update Tomcat to 9.0.109 or 10.0.27 or 10.1.45 or 11.0.11, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  3. Read the advisory on lists.apache.org for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
  4. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
  5. Because the attack needs a user to take part, warn users about unexpected links and files related to this product until it is patched.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
ApacheApache Tomcat11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.10; 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.44; 9.0.40 through 9.0.108; 8.5.60 through 8.5.100Not stated
SiemensSIMATIC CN 4100before V5.0V5.0
ApacheTomcat8.5.60 through 8.5.100; 9.0.40 up to, but not including, 9.0.109; 10.0.0 up to, but not including, 10.0.27; 10.1.0 up to, but not including, 10.1.45; 11.0.0 up to, but not including, 11.0.119.0.109, 10.0.27, 10.1.45, 11.0.11

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
RequiredA user must take an action such as opening a file or link.
Scope
ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
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:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CISA (ADP).

Official description

Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. Tomcat did not escape ANSI escape sequences in log messages. If Tomcat was running in a console on a Windows operating system, and the console supported ANSI escape sequences, it was possible for an attacker to use a specially crafted URL to inject ANSI escape sequences to manipulate the console and the clipboard and attempt to trick an administrator into running an attacker controlled command. While no attack vector was found, it may have been possible to mount this attack on other operating systems. This issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.10, from 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.44, from 9.0.40 through 9.0.108. The following versions were EOL at the time the CVE was created but are known to be affected: 8.5.60 though 8.5.100. Other, older, EOL versions may also be affected. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 11.0.11 or later, 10.1.45 or later or 9.0.109 or later, which fix the issue.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences

The product receives input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as escape, meta, or control character sequences when they are sent to a downstream component.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Developers should anticipate that escape, meta and control characters/sequences will be injected/removed/manipulated in the input vectors of their product. Use an appropriate combination of denylists and allowlists to ensure only valid, expected and appropriate input is processed by the system.
  • While it is risky to use dynamically-generated query strings, code, or commands that mix control and data together, sometimes it may be unavoidable. Properly quote arguments and escape any special characters within those arguments. The most conservative approach is to escape or filter all characters that do not pass an extremely strict allowlist (such as everything that is not alphanumeric or white space). If some special characters are still needed, such as white space, wrap each argument in quotes after the escaping/filtering step. Be careful of argument injection (CWE-88).
  • Inputs should be decoded and canonicalized to the application's current internal representation before being validated (CWE-180). Make sure that the application does not decode the same input twice (CWE-174). Such errors could be used to bypass allowlist validation schemes by introducing dangerous inputs after they have been checked.

More Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences vulnerabilities (CWE-150)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Third-party and government advisories

Other vulnerabilities in Apache Tomcat

All Apache Tomcat vulnerabilities

Recent Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences vulnerabilities

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