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NVD / CVE Program· CNA apache

CVE-2016-8738: In Apache Struts 2.5 through 2.5.5, if an application allows entering a URL in a form field and the built-in URLValidator is used, it is…

MediumCVSS 5.9 · v3.0—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Monitor (action score 24/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 3.2% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 88.5% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
  • Fixed version: org.apache.struts:struts2-core (Maven) 2.5.13.

Low priority for now. Upgrade to org.apache.struts:struts2-core (Maven) 2.5.13 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

In Apache Struts 2.5 through 2.5.5, if an application allows entering a URL in a form field and the built-in URLValidator is used, it is possible to prepare a special URL which will be used to overload server process when performing validation of the URL.

Published
Sep 20, 2017
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
3.2% · 88th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

24

Monitor

Low priority for now.

CVSS
23 / 40 · 5.9 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
1 / 30 · 3.2%

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  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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When you'll hear from us

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
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  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
apachestruts

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

    • 2.5 - 2.5.5affected
Affected versions · NVD (6)

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • apache struts2.5
  • apache struts2.5.1
  • apache struts2.5.2
  • apache struts2.5.3
  • apache struts2.5.4
  • apache struts2.5.5

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Mavenorg.apache.struts:struts2-corefrom 2.5.0 · before 2.5.132.5.13

Same product

apache: all records

Other 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…KEV
    99Now
  • 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…KEV
    99Now
  • CVE-2020-17530Forced OGNL evaluation, when evaluated on raw user input in tag attributes, may lead to remote code execution.KEV
    98Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2017-9805Sep 15, 2017 · The 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…KEV
    92Now
  • ← EarlierCVE-2016-6795Sep 20, 2017 · 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…
    41Plan
  • Later →CVE-2017-12611Sep 20, 2017 · In Apache Struts 2.0.0 through 2.3.33 and 2.5 through 2.5.10.1, using an unintentional expression in a Freemarker tag instead of string…
    65This week

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
Maven:org.apache.struts:struts2-core2.5.13Package 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.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

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.
  • Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.

If successful

Confidentiality
none
Integrity
none
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
None
Integrity impact
None
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-20 · Improper Input Validation

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

References

Show all references (2 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records