CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-119078NVD status: Awaiting Analysis

Apache Commons Codec: Incorrect Provision of Specified Functionality

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-119078 is a critical-severity incorrect provision of specified functionality vulnerability in Apache Commons Codec from Apache, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists version 1.23.0 as the first without the flaw, so updating Apache Commons Codec to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.4% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update Apache Commons Codec to 1.23.0 or a later version.
  2. Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
ApacheApache Commons Codec1.16.0 up to, but not including, 1.23.01.23.0

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
NoneAvailability is not affected.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N. Scored by CISA (ADP).

Official description

Apache Commons Codec's Blake3 class documented the output of its doFinalize methods as depending on any previously finalized bytes, so that consecutive calls would return different output. In fact, doFinalize does not change the hash state: calling it again without supplying more input returns the same bytes. The key-derivation example in the class Javadoc, shipped since 1.16.0, derives two keys with two consecutive doFinalize calls. Code that follows it gets identical keys, so the separation between the derived keys is lost. The same applies to any application that calls doFinalize more than once on one instance and expects new output each time. This issue affects Apache Commons Codec from 1.16.0 before 1.23.0. Version 1.23.0 corrects the documentation, but the behavior of doFinalize is unchanged. Upgrading alone does not fix affected code. Users should check their applications for repeated doFinalize calls on the same Blake3 instance and derive multiple keys by requesting the combined length in one call and splitting the output, as the updated Javadoc shows.

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

The underlying weakness: Incorrect Provision of Specified Functionality

The code does not function according to its published specifications, potentially leading to incorrect usage.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Ensure that your code strictly conforms to specifications.

More Incorrect Provision of Specified Functionality vulnerabilities (CWE-684)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Incorrect Provision of Specified Functionality vulnerabilities

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