Apache Tomcat OS Command Injection vulnerability

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2019-0232: 99.92% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 99.97 (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.

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/).

Published by the source

18 Apr 2019, 14:27 UTC

Last modified by the source

8 Dec 2023, 23:08 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:20 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-8vmx-qmch-mpqg

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2019-0232

Advisory: Apache Tomcat OS Command Injection vulnerability
IDs: CVE-2019-0232, GHSA-8vmx-qmch-mpqg
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2019-0232 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:20 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: High (CVSS 8.1)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core 9.0.17, 8.5.40, 7.0.94. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core: affected >= 8.0.0, < 8.5.40; >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.94; >= 9.0.0.M1, < 9.0.17; fixed in 7.0.94, 9.0.17, 8.5.40

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core: 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.embed:tomcat-embed-core.
- 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-8vmx-qmch-mpqg (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-8vmx-qmch-mpqg lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core >=8.0.0 =7.0.0 =9.0.0.M1 <9.0.17)

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