Quantum Secular Labs / Blog / Advisories

CVE-2017-5638: Apache Struts Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

CVE-2017-5638 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 and affects Apache Struts, along with 8 other products in NVD’s configuration data. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2021-11-03, which means exploitation in the wild has been observed.

Vulnerability description

The Jakarta Multipart parser in Apache Struts 2 2.3.x before 2.3.32 and 2.5.x before 2.5.10.1 has incorrect exception handling and error-message generation during file-upload attempts, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a crafted Content-Type, Content-Disposition, or Content-Length HTTP header, as exploited in the wild in March 2017 with a Content-Type header containing a #cmd= string.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.1 9.8: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

  • Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
  • Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
  • Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
  • User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
  • Scope: Unchanged. Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
  • Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
  • Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
  • Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-755: Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions

The product does not handle or incorrectly handles an exceptional condition.

Affected products

  • Apache Struts: from 2.2.3 before 2.3.32; from 2.5.0 before 2.5.10.1
  • IBM Storwize V3500 Firmware: 7.7.1.6; 7.8.1.0
  • IBM Storwize V5000 Firmware: 7.7.1.6; 7.8.1.0
  • IBM Storwize V7000 Firmware: 7.7.1.6; 7.8.1.0
  • Lenovo Storage V5030 Firmware: 7.7.1.6; 7.8.1.0
  • HP Server Automation: 9.1.0; 10.0.0; 10.1.0; 10.2.0; 10.5.0
  • Oracle Weblogic Server: 10.3.6.0.0; 12.1.3.0.0; 12.2.1.1.0; 12.2.1.2.0
  • Arubanetworks Clearpass Policy Manager: before 6.6.5
  • Netapp Oncommand Balance: all versions listed by NVD

References