Junglewise Threat Intelligence

CVE-2025-68493: Apache Struts XXE injection in XWork component

CVE-2025-68493 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.1 · Published 2026-01-11

Technologies: Apache Struts, Red Hat Fuse 7. Vendors: Apache, Red Hat.

Executive brief

Apache Struts, a widely used framework for creating Java web applications, contains a security flaw in how it handles XML data. An attacker could exploit this to view sensitive files on the server, cause a service outage, or trick the server into making unauthorized requests to other systems. Organizations using affected versions should upgrade to version 6.1.1 to protect their data and maintain service availability.

Technical details

A Missing XML Validation vulnerability exists in the XWork component of Apache Struts. The root cause is the improper restriction of XML External Entity (XXE) references during the parsing of XML configurations. A remote attacker can exploit this by providing specially crafted XML input, leading to Information Disclosure (reading local files), Denial of Service (DoS), or Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF). The vulnerability affects versions 2.0.0 through 6.1.0. Users are advised to upgrade to version 6.1.1 or apply workarounds such as setting the 'javax.xml.accessExternalDTD' system property to an empty string.

Affected products

  • Apache Struts 2.0.0 to 6.1.0
  • Red Hat Fuse 7 7

Timeline

  • 2025-12-19: other: Advisory updated on Apache Struts Wiki
  • 2026-01-11: disclosed: Public disclosure via oss-security mailing list
  • 2026-01-11: advisory: CVE published

References