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Apache Tomcat Improper Access Control vulnerability

Critical severity GitHub Reviewed Published May 13, 2022 to the GitHub Advisory Database • Updated Oct 22, 2025

Package

maven org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina (Maven)

Affected versions

< 6.0.48
>= 7.0.0, < 7.0.73
>= 8.0.0, < 8.0.39
>= 8.5.0, < 8.5.7
>= 9.0.0.M1, < 9.0.0.M12

Patched versions

6.0.48
7.0.73
8.0.39
8.5.7
9.0.0.M12
maven org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina-jmx-remote (Maven)
< 6.0.48
>= 7.0.0, < 7.0.73
>= 8.0.0, < 8.0.39
>= 8.5.0, < 8.5.7
>= 9.0.0.M1, < 9.0.0.M12
6.0.48
7.0.73
8.0.39
8.5.7
9.0.0.M12

Description

Remote code execution is possible with Apache Tomcat before 6.0.48, 7.x before 7.0.73, 8.x before 8.0.39, 8.5.x before 8.5.7, and 9.x before 9.0.0.M12 if JmxRemoteLifecycleListener is used and an attacker can reach JMX ports.
The issue exists because this listener wasn't updated for consistency with the CVE-2016-3427 Oracle patch that affected credential types.

References

Published by the National Vulnerability Database Apr 6, 2017
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database May 13, 2022
Reviewed Dec 8, 2023
Last updated Oct 22, 2025

Severity

Critical

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:H

EPSS score

Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)

This score estimates the probability of this vulnerability being exploited within the next 30 days. Data provided by FIRST.
(100th percentile)

Weaknesses

Improper Access Control

The product does not restrict or incorrectly restricts access to a resource from an unauthorized actor. Learn more on MITRE.

CVE ID

CVE-2016-8735

GHSA ID

GHSA-cw54-59pw-4g8c

Source code

Credits

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