CVE-2017-12617
Apache Tomcat: Remote Code Execution
As of , CVE-2017-12617 in Apache Tomcat is on CISA's list of exploited vulnerabilities: CISA listed it on . Our patch-first group: Patch this week.
- Exploited
- Yes: CISA listed it on 25 March 2022
- US federal deadline
- 15 April 202221 days after CISA listed it. US federal civilian agencies must fix it by then.
- Used in ransomware campaigns
- Not known to CISA
- EPSS score
- 0.99Higher than 99% of the CVEs EPSS scores. EPSS estimates the chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days.
- EPSS when listed
- 0.95 on 25 March 2022EPSS on the day CISA listed it.
- Public exploit
- 1 Metasploit module and 2 Exploit-DB entries (2 verified)
- Fix
- No vendor link in CISA's entry
What CISA says to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
CISA's required action
What the flaw is
When running Apache Tomcat, it is possible to upload a JSP file to the server via a specially crafted request. This JSP could then be requested and any code it contained would be executed by the server.
CISA's description
When running Apache Tomcat versions 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0, 8.5.0 to 8.5.22, 8.0.0.RC1 to 8.0.46 and 7.0.0 to 7.0.81 with HTTP PUTs enabled (e.g. via setting the readonly initialisation parameter of the Default servlet to false) it was possible to upload a JSP file to the server via a specially crafted request. This JSP could then be requested and any code it contained would be executed by the server.
The CVE record's description, from apache
- CVE published
- 3 October 2017
- Assigned by
- apache
- CVSS
- 8.1 High (CVSS 3.1, from CISA-ADP)
- CWE-434
- Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
- CISA SSVC, exploitation
- active
- CISA SSVC, automatable
- no
- CISA SSVC, technical impact
- total
Timeline
- The CVE record was published.
- Exploit-DB published an exploit (EDB-ID 42966).
- Exploit-DB published an exploit (EDB-ID 43008).
- CISA added it to its list of exploited vulnerabilities.
- The US federal deadline to fix it.
Public exploits
Facts from Metasploit's module list and Exploit-DB's index; we never copy exploit code.
- Metasploit: Tomcat RCE via JSP Upload Bypassexploit module, rank excellent
- Exploit-DB: Tomcat - Remote Code Execution via JSP Upload Bypass (Metasploit)EDB-ID 43008, verified by Exploit-DB, 17 October 2017
- Exploit-DB: Apache Tomcat < 9.0.1 (Beta) / < 8.5.23 / < 8.0.47 / < 7.0.8 - JSP Upload Bypass / Remote Code Execution (2)EDB-ID 42966, verified by Exploit-DB, 9 October 2017
Tomcat: other exploited entries
| Vulnerability | Product | Our group | Listed | Deadline | EPSS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2020-1938Improper Privilege Management | Apache Tomcat | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.99; verified Exploit-DB entry | 0.99 | ||
| CVE-2025-24813Path Equivalence | Apache Tomcat | Patch this weekMetasploit module; EPSS 0.99 | 0.99 | ||
| CVE-2016-8735Remote Code Execution | Apache Tomcat | Patch this weekEPSS 0.90 | 0.90 | ||
| CVE-2017-12615on Windows Remote Code Execution | Apache Tomcat | Patch this weekRansomware use; EPSS 0.99 | 0.99 | ||
| CVE-2026-34486Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data | Apache Tomcat | Patch soon | 0.07 |
Read further
- CVE recordcve.org
- NVD entrynvd.nist.gov
- CISA's catalogcisa.gov
- EPSS for this CVEapi.first.org