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CVE-2017-5648: Apache Tomcat: Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere

CVE-2017-5648 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.0 base score of 9.1 and affects Apache Tomcat. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction.

Vulnerability description

While investigating bug 60718, it was noticed that some calls to application listeners in Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M17, 8.5.0 to 8.5.11, 8.0.0.RC1 to 8.0.41, and 7.0.0 to 7.0.75 did not use the appropriate facade object. When running an untrusted application under a SecurityManager, it was therefore possible for that untrusted application to retain a reference to the request or response object and thereby access and/or modify information associated with another web application.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.0 9.1: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

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: None. No effect on availability.

Underlying weakness

CWE-668: Exposure of Resource to Wrong Sphere

The product exposes a resource to the wrong control sphere, providing unintended actors with inappropriate access to the resource.

Affected products

Apache Tomcat: 7.0.0; 7.0.1; 7.0.2; 7.0.3; 7.0.4; 7.0.5; 7.0.6; 7.0.7; 7.0.8; 7.0.9; 7.0.10; 7.0.11