Apache Tomcat Improper Access Control vulnerability

Exploitation

Confirmed: listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

CVSS

9.8 · CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:H

EPSS

• CVE-2016-8735: 90.34% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 99.80 (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.

Remote code execution is possible with Apache Tomcat before 6.0.48, 7.x before 7.0.73, 8.x before 8.0.39, 8.5.x before 8.5.7, and 9.x before 9.0.0.M12 if JmxRemoteLifecycleListener is used and an attacker can reach JMX ports. The issue exists because this listener wasn't updated for consistency with the CVE-2016-3427 Oracle patch that affected credential types.

Published by the source

13 May 2022, 01:14 UTC

Last modified by the source

22 Oct 2025, 17:32 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:40 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-cw54-59pw-4g8c

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

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2016-8735

Advisory: Apache Tomcat Improper Access Control vulnerability
IDs: CVE-2016-8735, GHSA-cw54-59pw-4g8c
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2016-8735 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:40 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8)
Exploitation: confirmed: listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina-jmx-remote 9.0.0.M12, 8.5.7, 8.0.39, 7.0.73, 6.0.48; org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina 9.0.0.M12, 8.5.7, 8.0.39, 7.0.73, 6.0.48. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina-jmx-remote: affected < 6.0.48; >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.73; >= 8.0.0, < 8.0.39; >= 8.5.0, < 8.5.7; >= 9.0.0.M1, < 9.0.0.M12; fixed in 7.0.73, 9.0.0.M12, 6.0.48, 8.5.7, 8.0.39
- Maven org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina: affected < 6.0.48; >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.73; >= 8.0.0, < 8.0.39; >= 8.5.0, < 8.5.7; >= 9.0.0.M1, < 9.0.0.M12; fixed in 7.0.73, 9.0.0.M12, 6.0.48, 8.5.7, 8.0.39

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina-jmx-remote: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina: 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.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina-jmx-remote, org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina.
- 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?
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog (CISA added CVE-2016-8735 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-05-12.)
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cw54-59pw-4g8c (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-cw54-59pw-4g8c lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina >=0 =7.0.0 =8.0.0 =8.5.0 =9.0.0.M1 =0 =7.0.0 =8.0.0 =8.5.0 =9.0.0.M1 <9.0.0.M12)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.