CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-29145NVD status: Analyzed

Apache Tomcat: Improper Authentication

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-29145 is a critical-severity improper authentication vulnerability in Apache Tomcat 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. Affected Apache Tomcat versions: 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.18; 10.1.0-M7 through 10.1.52; 9.0.83 through 9.0.115. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.73% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 55% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update Tomcat to 9.0.116 or 10.1.53 or 11.0.20, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Tomcat Native to 1.3.7 or 2.0.14, 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.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
ApacheApache Tomcat11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.18; 10.1.0-M7 through 10.1.52; 9.0.83 through 9.0.115Not stated
ApacheApache Tomcat Native1.1.23 through 1.1.34; 1.2.0 through 1.2.39; 1.3.0 through 1.3.6; 2.0.0 through 2.0.13Not stated
ApacheTomcat9.0.83 up to, but not including, 9.0.116; 10.1.1 up to, but not including, 10.1.53; 11.0.0 up to, but not including, 11.0.20; 10.1.09.0.116, 10.1.53, 11.0.20
ApacheTomcat Native1.1.23 up to, but not including, 1.3.7; 2.0.0 up to, but not including, 2.0.141.3.7, 2.0.14

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

CLIENT_CERT authentication does not fail as expected for some scenarios when soft fail is disabled vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, Apache Tomcat Native. This issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.18, from 10.1.0-M7 through 10.1.52, from 9.0.83 through 9.0.115; Apache Tomcat Native: from 1.1.23 through 1.1.34, from 1.2.0 through 1.2.39, from 1.3.0 through 1.3.6, from 2.0.0 through 2.0.13. Users are recommended to upgrade to version Tomcat Native 1.3.7 or 2.0.14 and Tomcat 11.0.20, 10.1.53 and 9.0.116, which fix the issue.

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

The underlying weakness: Improper Authentication

When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use an authentication framework or library such as the OWASP ESAPI Authentication feature.

More Improper Authentication vulnerabilities (CWE-287)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: yes, technical impact: partial).
  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 Authentication vulnerabilities

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