CVE-2020-1938: Apache Tomcat Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2020-1938 is a critical (CVSS 9.8) vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. It is known to be exploited: CISA lists it, first on 03-03-2022. EPSS estimates a 99.27% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 99.9% of scored vulnerabilities. 4 public exploits are recorded.
Listed as exploited by CISA (03-03-2022)
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 22 · Related 13Timeline
- 24-02-2020PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 03-03-2022Added to CISA KEVExploitedApache Tomcat Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
- 17-03-2022CISA remediation dueDeadline passedApply updates per vendor instructions.
- 21-10-2025Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
When using the Apache JServ Protocol (AJP), care must be taken when trusting incoming connections to Apache Tomcat. Tomcat treats AJP connections as having higher trust than, for example, a similar HTTP connection. If such connections are available to an attacker, they can be exploited in ways that may be surprising. In Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.30, 8.5.0 to 8.5.50 and 7.0.0 to 7.0.99, Tomcat shipped with an AJP Connector enabled by default that listened on all configured IP addresses. It was expected (and recommended in the security guide) that this Connector would be disabled if not required. This vulnerability report identified a mechanism that allowed: - returning arbitrary files from anywhere in the web application - processing any file in the web application as a JSP Further, if the web application allowed file upload and stored those files within the web application (or the attacker was able to control the content of the web application by some other means) then this, along with the ability to process a file as a JSP, made remote code execution possible. It is important to note that mitigation is only required if an AJP port is accessible to untrusted users. Users wishing to take a defence-in-depth approach and block the vector that permits returning arbitrary files and execution as JSP may upgrade to Apache Tomcat 9.0.31, 8.5.51 or 7.0.100 or later. A number of changes were made to the default AJP Connector configuration in 9.0.31 to harden the default configuration. It is likely that users upgrading to 9.0.31, 8.5.51 or 7.0.100 or later will need to make small changes to their configurations.
CVSS metrics
7 scores · 6 sources · 2 versions- OSV · Red hatEcosystem advisory · calculated7.6HighCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:LDiffers
- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated9.8CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated9.8CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- OSV · MavenEcosystem advisory · calculated9.8CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:H
- NVDNIST9.8CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
99.27%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
100%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 99.27% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVListed- Added
- 03-03-2022
- Federal due date
- 17-03-2022
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
CISA required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions. nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1938
Public exploits
4 foundExploit Reference (lists.apache.org)
Maturity: unknown
Apache Tomcat - AJP 'Ghostcat File Read/Inclusion
Maturity: poc
Apache Tomcat - AJP 'Ghostcat' File Read/Inclusion (Metasploit)
Maturity: poc
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeNo weakness data has been published for this record.
Affected systems
Known conditions: network-reachable, no authentication, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Redhat20 products
- jbossweb< 0:7.5.30-2.Final_redhat_2.1.ep6.el5 | < 0:7.5.30-2.Final_redhat_2.1.ep6.el6 | < 0:7.5.30-2.Final_redhat_2.1.ep6.el7
- tomcat< 0:7.0.76-11.el7_7 | < 0:7.0.76-10.el7_6
- tomcat-admin-webapps< 0:7.0.76-11.el7_7 | < 0:7.0.76-10.el7_6
- tomcat-docs-webapp< 0:7.0.76-11.el7_7 | < 0:7.0.76-10.el7_6
- tomcat-el-2.2-api< 0:7.0.76-11.el7_7 | < 0:7.0.76-10.el7_6
Suse15 products
- tomcat6&distro=SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3< 6.0.53-0.57.13.1
- tomcat6&distro=SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4-LTSS< 6.0.53-0.57.13.1
- tomcat&distro=HPE Helion OpenStack 8< 8.0.53-29.22.1
- tomcat&distro=SUSE Enterprise Storage 5< 8.0.53-29.22.1
- tomcat&distro=SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1-LTSS< 8.0.53-10.38.1
Oracle12 products
- agile_engineering_data_management6.2.1.0
- agile_product_lifecycle_management9.3.3 | 9.3.5 | 9.3.6
- communications_element_manager8.1.1 | 8.2.0 | 8.2.1
- communications_instant_messaging_server10.0.1.4.0
- health_sciences_empirica_inspections1.0.1.2
Apache3 products
- apache tomcatApache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.30 | 8.5.0 to 8.5.50 | 7.0.0 to 7.0.99
- geode1.12.0
- tomcat≥ 7.0.0, < 7.0.100 | ≥ 8.5.0, < 8.5.51 | ≥ 9.0.0, < 9.0.31
Ubuntu3 products
- tomcat7All versions (No fix recorded)
- tomcat8All versions (No fix recorded)
- tomcat9All versions (No fix recorded)
Blackberry2 products
- good_control≤ 5.2.58.38
- workspaces_server7.0.1 | 7.1.2 | 8.1.0 | 9.0
Debian2 products
- tomcat9< 9.0.31-1
- debian_linuxEOL8.0 | 9.0 | 10.0
Netapp2 products
- data_availability_servicesna
- oncommand_system_manager≥ 3.0.0, ≤ 3.1.3
Fedoraproject1 product
- fedoraEOL30 | 31 | 32
Opensuse1 product
- leapEOL15.1
Org.apache.tomcat.embed1 product
- tomcat-embed-core≥ 9.0.0, < 9.0.31 | ≥ 8.0.0, < 8.5.51 | ≥ 7.0.0, < 7.0.100
11 vendors · 62 products
References
123 linksShow all 100 references
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/03/msg00006.htmlMailing ListX Refsource MLISTWEBThird Party Advisory- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-03/msg00025.htmlVendor AdvisoryX Refsource SUSEWEBThird Party Advisory
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-05/msg00002.htmlVendor AdvisoryX Refsource SUSEWEBMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/05/msg00026.htmlMailing ListX Refsource MLISTWEBThird Party Advisory
- support.blackberry.com/kb/articleDetail?articleNumber=000062739X Refsource CONFIRMWEBThird Party Advisory
- www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2020-1938Government ResourceWEBUS Government Resource
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