Medium

Improper Validation of Certificates in apache axis

  • Disclosed: 16.10.2018
  • Updated: 11.10.2026 12:21

The getCN function in Apache Axis 1.4 and earlier does not properly verify that the server hostname matches a domain name in the subject's Common Name (CN) or subjectAltName field of the X.509 certificate, which allows man-in-the-middle attackers to spoof SSL servers via a certificate with a subject that specifies a common name in a field that is not the CN field. NOTE: this issue exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2012-5784.

Affected software

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PlatformPackageVulnerable versionsFixed in
Java / Kotlin (Maven) axis:axis <= 1.4 no fix
Java / Kotlin (Maven) org.apache.axis:axis <= 1.4 no fix

References

CVSS score -
Weakness (CWE)
CWE-297
Platform
Java / Kotlin (Maven)
Package
axis:axis, org.apache.axis:axis
Disclosed
16.10.2018
Updated
11.10.2026 12:21

Sources and licenses

OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-r53v-vm87-f72c - CC BY 4.0

Vulnerability history: org.apache.axis:axis

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
7
First → latest
10.2018 01.2024
Without a fix
6
Exploited in attacks
0

Severity breakdown

  • Critical 1
  • High 2
  • Medium 4

Disclosures per year

  1. 2018: 2
  2. 2019: 1
  3. 2020: 1
  4. 2021: 0
  5. 2022: 1
  6. 2023: 1
  7. 2024: 1
  8. 2025: 0
  9. 2026: 0
  1. High · 7.2 CVE-2023-51441 <= 1.3 no fix
  2. Medium CVE-2012-5784 <= 1.4 no fix
  3. High · 7.5 CVE-2019-0227 <= 1.4 no fix
  4. Medium · 6.1 CVE-2018-8032 <= 1.4 no fix
  5. Improper Validation of Certificates in apache axis this entry
    Medium CVE-2014-3596 <= 1.4 no fix

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