CVE-2019-0232: apache tomcat OS Command Injection
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2019-0232 is a high (CVSS 9.3) OS Command Injection vulnerability in apache tomcat. EPSS estimates a 99.92% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.9% of scored vulnerabilities. 2 public exploits are recorded.
Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 1Timeline
- 15-04-2019PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 04-08-2024Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
When running on Windows with enableCmdLineArguments enabled, the CGI Servlet in Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.17, 8.5.0 to 8.5.39 and 7.0.0 to 7.0.93 is vulnerable to Remote Code Execution due to a bug in the way the JRE passes command line arguments to Windows. The CGI Servlet is disabled by default. The CGI option enableCmdLineArguments is disable by default in Tomcat 9.0.x (and will be disabled by default in all versions in response to this vulnerability). For a detailed explanation of the JRE behaviour, see Markus Wulftange's blog (https://codewhitesec.blogspot.com/2016/02/java-and-command-line-injections-in-windows.html) and this archived MSDN blog (https://web.archive.org/web/20161228144344/https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/twistylittlepassagesallalike/2011/04/23/everyone-quotes-command-line-arguments-the-wrong-way/).
CVSS metrics
3 scores · 2 sources · 2 versions- OSV · MavenEcosystem advisory · calculated8.1HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
99.92%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
100%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
+0.27 pp
From 99.65% on 19-09-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogsNot in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.
Public exploits
2 foundApache Tomcat - CGIServlet enableCmdLineArguments Remote Code Execution (Metasploit)
Maturity: weaponized
Apache Tomcat CGIServlet enableCmdLineArguments Vulnerability
exploit/windows/http/tomcat_cgi_cmdlineargs
Maturity: weaponized
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Apache1 product
- tomcatEOL9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.17 | 8.5.0 to 8.5.39 | 7.0.0 to 7.0.93 | ≥ 7.0.0, ≤ 7.0.93 | ≥ 8.5.0, ≤ 8.5.39 | ≥ 9.0.1, ≤ 9.0.17 | 9.0.0:milestone1 | 9.0.0:milestone10 | 9.0.0:milestone11 | 9.0.0:milestone12 | 9.0.0:milestone13 | 9.0.0:milestone14 | 9.0.0:milestone15 | 9.0.0:milestone16 | 9.0.0:milestone17 | 9.0.0:milestone18 | 9.0.0:milestone19 | 9.0.0:milestone2 | 9.0.0:milestone20 | 9.0.0:milestone21 | 9.0.0:milestone22 | 9.0.0:milestone23 | 9.0.0:milestone24 | 9.0.0:milestone25 | 9.0.0:milestone26 | 9.0.0:milestone3 | 9.0.0:milestone4 | 9.0.0:milestone5 | 9.0.0:milestone6 | 9.0.0:milestone7 | 9.0.0:milestone8 | 9.0.0:milestone9
Org.apache.tomcat.embed1 product
- tomcat-embed-core≥ 9.0.0.M1, < 9.0.17 | ≥ 8.0.0, < 8.5.40 | ≥ 7.0.0, < 7.0.94
2 vendors · 2 products
References
55 linksShow all 55 references
- codewhitesec.blogspot.com/2016/02/java-and-command-line-injections-in-windows.htmlX Refsource MISCThird Party AdvisoryWEB
- blog.trendmicro.com/trendlabs-security-intelligence/…X Refsource MISC
- wwws.nightwatchcybersecurity.com/2019/…X Refsource MISC
- github.com/apache/tomcatPACKAGE