Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions in Apache Tomcat
The error page mechanism of the Java Servlet Specification requires that, when an error occurs and an error page is configured for the error that occurred, the original request and response are forwarded to the error page. This means that the request is presented to the error page with the original HTTP method. If the error page is a static file, expected behaviour is to serve content of the file as if processing a GET request, regardless of the actual HTTP method. The Default Servlet in Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M20, 8.5.0 to 8.5.14, 8.0.0.RC1 to 8.0.43 and 7.0.0 to 7.0.77 did not do this. Depending on the original request this could lead to unexpected and undesirable results for static error pages including, if the DefaultServlet is configured to permit writes, the replacement or removal of the custom error page. Notes for other user provided error pages: (1) Unless explicitly coded otherwise, JSPs ignore the HTTP method. JSPs used as error pages must must ensure that they handle any error dispatch as a GET request, regardless of the actual method. (2) By default, the response generated by a Servlet does depend on the HTTP method. Custom Servlets used as error pages must ensure that they handle any error dispatch as a GET request, regardless of the actual method.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java / Kotlin (Maven) | org.apache.tomcat:tomcat | >= 9.0.0.M1, < 9.0.0.M21, >= 8.5.0, < 8.5.15, >= 8.0.0, < 8.0.44, >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.78 | 9.0.0.M21, 8.5.15, 8.0.44, 7.0.78 |
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-5664
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat80/commit/e070a31ec81b56377822e44883c64abb41f36a3b
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat80/commit/25d3c0d93190ef165ecd6c744bc15b5059abfa8f
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/7d93527254d9e9371b342800617f20d13c8b85ad
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/58b32048ce25cb812ae394dafb0cd57254c68155
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/4545dcce444aa619374a659cb450dbbd0be3c921
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/3bfe9fb886598c4d8ecbe674216152006bbce456
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/3242efea525df01d15da6e90ea69a9a21b10b454
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/29893e66111d33cfe99dd01cb146317c0c262ef4
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/eb6efa8d59c45a7a9eff94c4b925467d3b3fec8ba7697f3daa314b04@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/eb6efa8d59c45a7a9eff94c4b925467d3b3fec8ba7697f3daa314b04%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/e85e83e9954f169bbb77b44baae5a33d8de878df557bb32b7f793661@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/e85e83e9954f169bbb77b44baae5a33d8de878df557bb32b7f793661%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/b5e3f51d28cd5d9b1809f56594f2cf63dcd6a90429e16ea9f83bbedc@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/b5e3f51d28cd5d9b1809f56594f2cf63dcd6a90429e16ea9f83bbedc%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/a42c48e37398d76334e17089e43ccab945238b8b7896538478d76066@%3Cannounce.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/a42c48e37398d76334e17089e43ccab945238b8b7896538478d76066%40%3Cannounce.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/88855876c33f2f9c532ffb75bfee570ccf0b17ffa77493745af9a17a@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/88855876c33f2f9c532ffb75bfee570ccf0b17ffa77493745af9a17a%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/845312a10aabbe2c499fca94003881d2c79fc993d85f34c1f5c77424@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1801
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r3bbb800a816d0a51eccc5a228c58736960a9fffafa581a225834d97d%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r3bbb800a816d0a51eccc5a228c58736960a9fffafa581a225834d97d@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r48c1444845fe15a823e1374674bfc297d5008a5453788099ea14caf0%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r48c1444845fe15a823e1374674bfc297d5008a5453788099ea14caf0@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r9136ff5b13e4f1941360b5a309efee2c114a14855578c3a2cbe5d19c%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r9136ff5b13e4f1941360b5a309efee2c114a14855578c3a2cbe5d19c@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20171019-0002
- https://support.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-hpesbux03828en_us
- https://web.archive.org/web/20170801120345/http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038641
- https://web.archive.org/web/20170805032345/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/98888
- https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuapr2019-5072813.html
- https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2019-5072835.html
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1802
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1809
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2493
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2494
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2633
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2635
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2636
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
CWE-755- Platform
- Java / Kotlin (Maven)
- Package
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat- Disclosed
- 13.05.2022
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 12:21
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-jmvv-524f-hj5j - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: org.apache.tomcat:tomcat
All published vulnerabilities of this package (Java / Kotlin (Maven)), newest first. Shows whether this is a one-off slip or a package that needs watching.
- Total entries
- 162
- First → latest
- 12.2018 08.2026
- Without a fix
- 20
- Exploited in attacks
- 1
Severity breakdown
- Critical 8
- High 40
- Medium 102
- Low 12
Disclosures per year
- 2018: 1
- 2019: 1
- 2020: 2
- 2021: 5
- 2022: 125
- 2023: 3
- 2024: 2
- 2025: 4
- 2026: 19
-
Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions in Apache Tomcat this entry
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