Apache Axis 1.x (EOL) may allow RCE when untrusted input is passed to getService

Exploitation

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

CVSS 4.0

9.3 · CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N · score source

EPSS

• CVE-2023-40743: 3.28% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 88.46 (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 integrating Apache Axis 1.x in an application, it may not have been obvious that looking up a service through "ServiceFactory.getService" allows potentially dangerous lookup mechanisms such as LDAP. When passing untrusted input to this API method, this could expose the application to DoS, SSRF and even attacks leading to RCE. As Axis 1 has been EOL we recommend you migrate to a different SOAP engine, such as Apache Axis 2/Java. As a workaround, you may review your code to verify no untrusted or unsanitized input is passed to "ServiceFactory.getService", or by applying the patch from https://github.com/apache/axis-axis1-java/commit/7e66753427466590d6def0125e448d2791723210 . The Apache Axis project does not expect to create an Axis 1.x release fixing this problem, though contributors that would like to work towards this are welcome.

Published by the source

5 Sep 2023, 15:30 UTC

Last modified by the source

13 Feb 2025, 19:11 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:34 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-rmqp-9w4c-gc7w

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

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2023-40743

Advisory: Apache Axis 1.x (EOL) may allow RCE when untrusted input is passed to getService
IDs: CVE-2023-40743, GHSA-rmqp-9w4c-gc7w
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2023-40743 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:34 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.3)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor response not established. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven axis:axis: affected <= 1.4
- Maven org.apache.axis:axis: affected <= 1.4

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

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on axis:axis, org.apache.axis:axis.
- 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-rmqp-9w4c-gc7w (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-rmqp-9w4c-gc7w lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.axis:axis >=0 =0 <=1.4)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.