CVE-2025-24813
Published: 10 March 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-24813 is a critical-severity Internal Dot (CWE-44) vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. Its CVSS base score is 9.8 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 0.1% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 CM-6 (Configuration Settings) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Requires timely patching of known flaws like CVE-2025-24813 by upgrading to fixed Apache Tomcat versions, directly eliminating the path equivalence vulnerability.
Enforces secure configuration settings for the Tomcat Default Servlet, such as disabling writes and managing partial PUT support, to block exploitation preconditions.
Mandates validation of uploaded file names to reject path equivalence attempts using internal dots, mitigating the core manipulation vector.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
The path equivalence vulnerability in Apache Tomcat's public-facing Default Servlet directly enables exploitation of the application for initial access (T1190), facilitates information disclosure by allowing access to sensitive local files (T1005), and supports malicious file uploads/injections via partial PUT (T1105).
NVD Description
Path Equivalence: 'file.Name' (Internal Dot) leading to Remote Code Execution and/or Information disclosure and/or malicious content added to uploaded files via write enabled Default Servlet in Apache Tomcat. This issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.2, from 10.1.0-M1 through…
more
10.1.34, from 9.0.0.M1 through 9.0.98. The following versions were EOL at the time the CVE was created but are known to be affected: 8.5.0 though 8.5.100. Other, older, EOL versions may also be affected. If all of the following were true, a malicious user was able to view security sensitive files and/or inject content into those files: - writes enabled for the default servlet (disabled by default) - support for partial PUT (enabled by default) - a target URL for security sensitive uploads that was a sub-directory of a target URL for public uploads - attacker knowledge of the names of security sensitive files being uploaded - the security sensitive files also being uploaded via partial PUT If all of the following were true, a malicious user was able to perform remote code execution: - writes enabled for the default servlet (disabled by default) - support for partial PUT (enabled by default) - application was using Tomcat's file based session persistence with the default storage location - application included a library that may be leveraged in a deserialization attack Users are recommended to upgrade to version 11.0.3, 10.1.35 or 9.0.99, which fixes the issue.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2025-24813 is a path equivalence vulnerability in the Default Servlet of Apache Tomcat, stemming from improper handling of 'file.Name' with internal dots. This flaw enables remote code execution, information disclosure, or injection of malicious content into uploaded files when writes are enabled on the servlet. It affects Apache Tomcat versions 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.2, 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.34, and 9.0.0.M1 through 9.0.98; end-of-life versions 8.5.0 through 8.5.100 are also vulnerable, as may be older EOL releases.
Unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit this if the default servlet has writes enabled (disabled by default), partial PUT support is enabled (default), and specific application configurations align. For information disclosure or content injection, attackers need a security-sensitive upload URL as a subdirectory of a public upload URL, knowledge of sensitive file names, and those files uploaded via partial PUT, allowing viewing or modification of sensitive files. Remote code execution requires the above plus file-based session persistence at the default location and an application library vulnerable to deserialization attacks. The CVSS v3.1 score is 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), linked to CWEs-44, -502, and -706.
Apache advisories recommend upgrading to Tomcat 11.0.3, 10.1.35, or 9.0.99, which address the issue. Supporting announcements from OSS-Security, Debian LTS, NetApp, and Vicarius detail detection and patching guidance.
Details
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 01 April 2025