CVE-2017-9805: 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…
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Now (action score 92/100)
- CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild (Nov 3, 2021). Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: May 3, 2022.
- A ready-made attack module is public (Metasploit, Nuclei); exploiting it takes no special expertise.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 99.3% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 99.9% 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-rest-plugin (Maven) 2.3.34, 2.5.13.
- Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).
Patch today or shut off access. Upgrade to org.apache.struts:struts2-rest-plugin (Maven) 2.3.34, 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 · CISA KEV · FIRST EPSS
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 XStream for deserialization without any type filtering, which can lead to Remote Code Execution when deserializing XML payloads.
- Published
- Sep 15, 2017
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 99.3% · 99th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-502
Report tools
Action score
92
Patch today or shut off access.
- CVSS
- 32 / 40 · 8.1 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 30 / 30 · Listed
- EPSS
- 30 / 30 · 99.3%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- active
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- total
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
Actively exploited in the wild
CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021. That signals real attacks, not theory.
Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: May 3, 2022.
Get told when this record changes
- In CISA KEV: exploitation in the wild confirmed
- Weaponized exploit exists
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
Is your version affected? Check itNoroxi 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.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected 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.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| apache | struts | cpe:2.3:a:apache:struts |
| cisco | digital media manager | cpe:2.3:a:cisco:digital_media_manager |
| cisco | hosted collaboration solution | cpe:2.3:a:cisco:hosted_collaboration_solution |
| cisco | media experience engine | cpe:2.3:a:cisco:media_experience_engine |
| cisco | network performance analysis | cpe:2.3:a:cisco:network_performance_analysis |
| cisco | video distribution suite for internet streaming | cpe:2.3:a:cisco:video_distribution_suite_for_internet_streaming |
| netapp | oncommand balance | cpe:2.3:a:netapp:oncommand_balance |
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
- Apache Struts before 2.3.34 and 2.5.x before 2.5.13affected
Affected versions · NVD (12)
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- apache struts2.1.2 and later · before 2.3.34
- apache struts2.5.0 and later · before 2.5.13
- cisco digital media managerall versions
- cisco hosted collaboration solution10.5(1)
- cisco hosted collaboration solution11.0(1)
- cisco hosted collaboration solution11.5(1)
- cisco hosted collaboration solution11.6(1)
- cisco media experience engine3.5
- cisco media experience engine3.5.2
- cisco network performance analysisall versions
- cisco video distribution suite for internet streamingall versions
- netapp oncommand balanceall versions
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-rest-plugin | from 2.1.1 · before 2.3.34 | 2.3.34 |
| Maven | org.apache.struts:struts2-rest-plugin | from 2.5.0 · before 2.5.13 | 2.5.13 |
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…KEV99Now
- 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…KEV99Now
- CVE-2020-17530Forced OGNL evaluation, when evaluated on raw user input in tag attributes, may lead to remote code execution.KEV98Now
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2017-9787Jul 13, 2017 · When using a Spring AOP functionality to secure Struts actions it is possible to perform a DoS attack.33Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2015-5209Aug 29, 2017 · Apache Struts 2.x before 2.3.24.1 allows remote attackers to manipulate Struts internals, alter user sessions, or affect container settings…33Monitor
- Later →CVE-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
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-rest-plugin | 2.3.34 | Package registry (OSV) |
| Maven:org.apache.struts:struts2-rest-plugin | 2.5.13 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Weaponized
A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.
Evidence
- Metasploit module ×1
- Exploit-DB entry ×1
- Nuclei detection template ×1
- Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×20
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub | 20 repositories | 2017-09-06 → 2026-03-16 |
| Exploit-DB entry | remote | 2017-09-06 |
| Metasploit module | exploit/multi/http/struts2_rest_xstreamApache Struts 2 REST Plugin XStream RCEexploit | 2017-09-05 |
| Nuclei detection template | Nuclei template CVE-2017-9805 | — |
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.
- Metasploit-11 d
- First PoC-10 d
- Published
- CISA KEV+1509 d
- TodayNov 14, 2026+3347 d
National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)
Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.
- TR-17-125 · Sep 25, 2017(Apache Struts 2 İçin Güvenlik Güncellemeleri Yayınlandı)
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
- 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
- High
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- High
- Availability impact
- High
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-502 · Deserialization of Untrusted DataCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
nvd-primary
Root cause
Data received over the network is deserialized into the language’s native object format without verifying its source. Code paths inside the object can be triggered during deserialization.
The bug in code
The whole CWE-502 classA representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.
Vulnerable
payload = sock.recv(65536)
job = pickle.loads(payload)Fixed
payload = sock.recv(65536)
if not hmac.compare_digest(sign(payload), header_sig):
raise PermissionError("invalid signature")
job = JobSchema.validate(json.loads(payload))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)
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log (1)
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (11 more)Show less
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/100609
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1039263
- blogs.apache.org/foundation/entry/apache-struts-statement-on-equifax
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1488482
- cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/WW/S2-052
- lgtm.com/blog/apache_struts_CVE-2017-9805
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20170907-0001/
- struts.apache.org/docs/s2-052.html
- tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20170907-struts2
- www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/112992
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-9805
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.