CVE-2009-3555: Apache Tomcat plaintext injection via TLS renegotiation

CVE-2009-3555 · Severity: critical · CVSS 9.8 · Published 2022-05-02

Apache Tomcat is a widely used web server and application container for Java-based websites. A vulnerability in the way it handles secure (HTTPS) connections could allow an attacker to intercept and inject data into a user's session. This could lead to the theft of sensitive information or unauthorized actions being performed on behalf of a user.

Technologies: Apache Tomcat, org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven). Vendors: Apache, Maven.

Quick answers

Is CVE-2009-3555 exploited in the wild?
No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2009-3555 being exploited in the wild.
How severe is CVE-2009-3555?
Critical severity, with a CVSS score of 9.8, published 2 May 2022.
Which products and versions are affected?
Apache Tomcat >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.10; org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven) ECOSYSTEM:introduced=7.0.0,fixed=7.0.10.
Is there a fix for CVE-2009-3555?
Yes. org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): upgrade to 7.0.10 or later. Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.
How is CVE-2009-3555 attacked?
It is attacked over the network, in a software library.
Am I affected by CVE-2009-3555?
Check whether you run Apache Tomcat or org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven) at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

How to fix

  • org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): upgrade to 7.0.10 or later
    # set org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to 7.0.10 in your pom.xml or build.gradle

Technical details

The vulnerability, known as the 'Project Mogul' issue, stems from the TLS and SSL 3.0 protocols failing to properly associate renegotiation handshakes with existing connections. In Apache Tomcat, this allows a man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacker to perform a plaintext injection attack by sending an unauthenticated request that the server retroactively processes in a post-renegotiation context. This can be exploited to insert data into HTTPS sessions or other TLS-protected traffic. The issue was addressed in Tomcat by introducing workarounds that restrict or properly manage renegotiation. Patches are available in versions 7.0.10, 6.0.32, and 5.5.33.

Affected products

  • Apache Tomcat >= 7.0.0, < 7.0.10
  • Apache Tomcat >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.32
  • Apache Tomcat >= 5.0.0, < 5.5.33

Identifiers

  • CVE-2009-3555
  • GHSA-f7w7-6pjc-wwm6

Timeline

  • 2022-05-02: advisory: GitHub Advisory published

References

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