Improper input validation in Mort Bay Jetty

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

7.3 · CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

EPSS

• CVE-2009-4611: 3.25% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 88.33 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Mort Bay Jetty 6.x through 6.1.22 and 7.0.0 writes backtrace data without sanitizing non-printable characters, which might allow remote attackers to modify a window's title, or possibly execute arbitrary commands or overwrite files, via an HTTP request containing an escape sequence for a terminal emulator, related to (1) a string value in the Age parameter to the default URI for the Cookie Dump Servlet in test-jetty-webapp/src/main/java/com/acme/CookieDump.java under cookie/, (2) an alphabetic value in the A parameter to jsp/expr.jsp, or (3) an alphabetic value in the Content-Length HTTP header to an arbitrary application.

Published by the source

2 May 2022, 03:56 UTC

Last modified by the source

27 Jan 2023, 05:02 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:53 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-6jxp-7g74-2rc3

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2009-4611

Advisory: Improper input validation in Mort Bay Jetty
IDs: CVE-2009-4611, GHSA-6jxp-7g74-2rc3
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2009-4611 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:53 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.mortbay.jetty:jetty 7.0.2, 6.1.23. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.mortbay.jetty:jetty: affected >= 6.0.0, < 6.1.23; >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.2; fixed in 6.1.23, 7.0.2

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.mortbay.jetty:jetty: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.mortbay.jetty:jetty.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-6jxp-7g74-2rc3 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-6jxp-7g74-2rc3 lists affected ranges: Maven org.mortbay.jetty:jetty >=6.0.0 =7.0.0 <7.0.2)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.