SCS security researcher has disclosed a critical remote code execution vulnerability in the popular Apache Struts web application framework that could allow remote attackers to run malicious code on the affected servers.
Apache Struts is an open source framework for developing web applications in the Java programming language and is widely used by enterprises globally, including by 65 percent of the Fortune 100 companies, like Vodafone, Lockheed Martin, Virgin Atlantic, and the IRS.
The vulnerability (CVE-2018-11776) resides in the core of Apache Struts and originates because of insufficient validation of user-provided untrusted inputs in the core of the Struts framework under certain configurations.
The newly found Apache Struts exploit can be triggered just by visiting a specially crafted URL on the affected web server, allowing attackers to execute malicious code and eventually take complete control over the targeted server running the vulnerable application.
Struts2 Vulnerability – Are You Affected?
All applications that use Apache Struts—supported versions (Struts 2.3 to Struts 2.3.34, and Struts 2.5 to Struts 2.5.16) and even some unsupported Apache Struts versions—are potentially vulnerable to this flaw, even when no additional plugins have been enabled.
Your Apache Struts implementation is vulnerable to the reported RCE flaw if it meets the following conditions:
- The alwaysSelectFullNamespaceflag is set to true in the Struts configuration.
- Struts configuration file contains an “action” or “url” tag that does not specify the optional namespace attribute or specifies a wildcard namespace.
According to the researcher, even if an application is currently not vulnerable, “an inadvertent change to a Struts configuration file may render the application vulnerable in the future.”
Here’s Why You Should Take Apache Struts Exploit Seriously
Less than a year past, credit rating agency Equifax exposed personal details of its 147 million customers thanks to their failure of fixing an identical Apache Struts flaw that was disclosed earlier that year (CVE-2017-5638).
Apache Struts has mounted the vulnerability with the discharge of Struts versions 2.3.35 and 2.5.17. Organizations and developers who use Apache Struts are desperately suggested to upgrade their Struts elements as presently as attainable.
We have seen however previous disclosures of comparable crucial flaws in Apache Struts have resulted in PoC exploits being revealed among each day, and exploitation of the vulnerability within the wild, putt crucial infrastructure furthermore as customers’ information in danger.
Therefore, users and administrators are powerfully suggested to upgrade their Apache Struts parts to the newest versions, notwithstanding they believe their configuration isn’t vulnerable immediately.