CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2026-90436NVD status: Awaiting Analysis

Apache Axis 1.x (EOL): Use of Externally-Controlled Input to Select Classes or Code

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2026-90436 is a critical-severity use of externally-controlled input to select classes or code vulnerability in Apache Axis 1.x (EOL) 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. The record lists version 41f3b4e8d04e310ca81f86b92630ab2c11d608bd as the first without the flaw, so updating Apache Axis 1.x (EOL) to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 1.13% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 67% of scored CVEs.

Patch this week

Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.

What to do

  1. Update Apache Axis 1.x (EOL) to 41f3b4e8d04e310ca81f86b92630ab2c11d608bd 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 Axis 1.x (EOL)1.4 and earlier; aac718c6035435d96b39d6aebb9c078a13af7cc8 up to, but not including, 41f3b4e8d04e310ca81f86b92630ab2c11d608bd41f3b4e8d04e310ca81f86b92630ab2c11d608bd

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

** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** Deserialization of an inbound SOAP fault in Apache Axis 1.x allows unauthenticated remote class instantiation. When a SOAP <Fault> carries a <detail><exceptionName> element, Axis loads the named class and, if a String <data> element is also present, instantiates it through its String constructor before checking that it is an AxisFault. Loading alone runs the class's static initializer. With a suitable class on the application's classpath this leads to remote code execution. The fault is parsed while the engine resolves the target service, before any per-service handler chain runs, so authentication handlers configured on a service do not protect against it. This affects all Apache Axis 1.x versions through 1.4. As Axis 1 has been EOL we recommend you migrate to a different SOAP engine, such as Apache Axis 2/Java. Alternatively you could use a build of Axis with the patch from https://github.com/apache/axis-axis1-java/commit/41f3b4e8d04e310ca81f86b92630ab2c11d608bd applied. The Apache Axis project does not expect to create an Axis 1.x release fixing this problem.

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

The underlying weakness: Use of Externally-Controlled Input to Select Classes or Code

The product uses external input with reflection to select which classes or code to use, but it does not sufficiently prevent the input from selecting improper classes or code.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Refactor your code to avoid using reflection.
  • Do not use user-controlled inputs to select and load classes or code.
  • Apply strict input validation by using allowlists or indirect selection to ensure that the user is only selecting allowable classes or code.

More Use of Externally-Controlled Input to Select Classes or Code vulnerabilities (CWE-470)

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 Use of Externally-Controlled Input to Select Classes or Code vulnerabilities

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