Apache Tomcat unauthorized access vulnerability
The URL pattern of "" (the empty string) which exactly maps to the context root was not correctly handled in Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.4, 8.5.0 to 8.5.27, 8.0.0.RC1 to 8.0.49 and 7.0.0 to 7.0.84 when used as part of a security constraint definition. This caused the constraint to be ignored. It was, therefore, possible for unauthorised users to gain access to web application resources that should have been protected. Only security constraints with a URL pattern of the empty string were affected.
Affected software
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| Platform | Package | Vulnerable versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Java / Kotlin (Maven) | org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core | >= 9.0.0, < 9.0.5, >= 8.5.0, < 8.5.28, >= 8.0.0, < 8.0.51, >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.86 | 9.0.5, 8.5.28, 8.0.51, 7.0.86 |
References
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-1304
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat80/commit/9e700b93e3bf5c605267d20568a964169f9e0b79
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/723ea6a5bc5e7bc49e5ef84273c3b3c164a6a4fd
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/5af7c13cff7cc8366c5997418e820989fabb8f48
- https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/2d69fde135302e8cff984bb2131ec69f2e396964
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r9136ff5b13e4f1941360b5a309efee2c114a14855578c3a2cbe5d19c%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r6ccee4e849bc77df0840c7f853f6bd09d426f6741247da2b7429d5d9@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r6ccee4e849bc77df0840c7f853f6bd09d426f6741247da2b7429d5d9%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r48c1444845fe15a823e1374674bfc297d5008a5453788099ea14caf0@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r48c1444845fe15a823e1374674bfc297d5008a5453788099ea14caf0%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r3bbb800a816d0a51eccc5a228c58736960a9fffafa581a225834d97d@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r3bbb800a816d0a51eccc5a228c58736960a9fffafa581a225834d97d%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- 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/b1d7e2425d6fd2cebed40d318f9365b44546077e10949b01b1f8a0fb@%3Cannounce.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r9136ff5b13e4f1941360b5a309efee2c114a14855578c3a2cbe5d19c@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/raba0fabaf4d56d4325ab2aca8814f0b30a237ab83d8106b115ee279a%40%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/raba0fabaf4d56d4325ab2aca8814f0b30a237ab83d8106b115ee279a@%3Cdev.tomcat.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/03/msg00004.html
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/06/msg00008.html
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/07/msg00044.html
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20180706-0001
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3665-1
- https://web.archive.org/web/20200227102806/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/103170
- https://web.archive.org/web/20200516074457/http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1040427
- https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4281
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2020.html
- 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-2018:0465
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0466
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1320
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1447
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1448
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1449
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1450
- CVSS vector
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N- Weakness (CWE)
-- Platform
- Java / Kotlin (Maven)
- Package
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core- Disclosed
- 17.10.2018
- Updated
- 11.10.2026 12:21
Sources and licenses
OSV / GitHub Advisory Database - GHSA-6rxj-58jh-436r - CC BY 4.0
Vulnerability history: org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core
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
- 77
- First → latest
- 10.2018 08.2026
- Without a fix
- 0
- Exploited in attacks
- 5
Severity breakdown
- Critical 11
- High 36
- Medium 25
- Low 5
Disclosures per year
- 2018: 8
- 2019: 5
- 2020: 5
- 2021: 3
- 2022: 7
- 2023: 9
- 2024: 7
- 2025: 15
- 2026: 18
-
Apache Tomcat unauthorized access vulnerability this entry
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