In the Convention plugin in Apache Struts 2.3.x before 2.3.31, and 2.5.x before 2.5.5, it is possible to prepare a special URL which will be
In the Convention plugin in Apache Struts 2.3.x before 2.3.31, and 2.5.x before 2.5.5, it is possible to prepare a special URL which will be used for path traversal and execution of arbitrary code on server side.
- Published
- Sep 20, 2017
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 8.2% · 95th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-22
Sign in to follow · You’ll be notified if a followed record enters KEV, gets an exploit or is updated.
Report tools
Action score
41
Plan
Add it to your regular patch cycle.
- CVSS
- 39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 2 / 30 · 8.2%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| apache | struts | cpe:2.3:a:apache:struts |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- apache struts2.3.20
- apache struts2.3.20.1
- apache struts2.3.20.2
- apache struts2.3.20.3
- apache struts2.3.21
- apache struts2.3.22
- apache struts2.3.23
- apache struts2.3.24
- apache struts2.3.24.1
- apache struts2.3.24.2
- apache struts2.3.24.3
- apache struts2.3.25
- apache struts2.3.26
- apache struts2.3.27
- apache struts2.3.28
- apache struts2.3.28.1
- apache struts2.3.29
- apache struts2.3.30
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (apache). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Apache Software Foundation Apache Struts
- 2.3.x before 2.3.31, 2.5.x before 2.5.5affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maven | org.apache.struts:struts2-convention-plugin | from 2.3.0 · before 2.3.31 | 2.3.31 |
| Maven | org.apache.struts:struts2-convention-plugin | from 2.5.0 · before 2.5.5 | 2.5.5 |
Same product
apache: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2017-9791The Struts 1 plugin in Apache Struts 2.1.x and 2.3.x might allow remote code execution via a malicious field value passed in a raw message tKEV99Now
- CVE-2017-5638The 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-mesKEV99Now
- CVE-2020-17530Forced OGNL evaluation, when evaluated on raw user input in tag attributes, may lead to remote code execution.KEV98Now
- CVE-2018-11776Apache Struts versions 2.3 to 2.3.34 and 2.5 to 2.5.16 suffer from possible Remote Code Execution when alwaysSelectFullNamespace is true (eiKEV92Now
- CVE-2017-9805The REST Plugin in Apache Struts 2.1.1 through 2.3.x before 2.3.34 and 2.5.x before 2.5.13 uses an XStreamHandler with an instance of XStreaKEV92Now
- CVE-2012-0391The ExceptionDelegator component in Apache Struts before 2.2.3.1 interprets parameter values as OGNL expressions during certain exception haKEV92Now
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maven:org.apache.struts:struts2-convention-plugin | 2.3.31 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Maven:org.apache.struts:struts2-convention-plugin | 2.5.5 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- No account or password is required.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- high · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- high · the service can be disrupted
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-22 · Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Root cause
A user-supplied file name is joined with the allowed directory, but the result is never checked to confirm it is still inside that directory.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-22 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
const file = path.join(ROOT, req.query.name);res.sendFile(file);Fixed
const file = path.resolve(ROOT, req.query.name);if (!file.startsWith(ROOT + path.sep)) { return res.sendStatus(400);}res.sendFile(file);Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Path TraversalCAPEC-126likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Slashes and URL Encoding Combined to Bypass Validation LogicCAPEC-64likelihood: High · High
- Manipulating Web Input to File System CallsCAPEC-76likelihood: High · Very High
- Using Escaped Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-78likelihood: High · High
- Using Slashes in Alternate EncodingCAPEC-79likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/93773
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20180629-0003/
- struts.apache.org/docs/s2-042.html
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.