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The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an urgent warning regarding a newly discovered vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, tracked as CVE-2025-24813. This flaw, a path equivalence vulnerability, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or access sensitive files under specific conditions.
What makes this case particularly alarming is the speed at which attackers have begun exploiting itājust 30 hours after a public proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit was released. Security researchers have confirmed that the vulnerability is being actively leveraged to hijack Apache Tomcat servers with minimal effort.
Administrators and organizations using affected Tomcat versions must apply security updates immediately to prevent exploitation. CISA has also mandated federal agencies to address this flaw by April 22, 2025, as part of its ongoing efforts to mitigate known cybersecurity threats.
Overview of the Apache Tomcat CVE-2025-24813 Vulnerability
– Vulnerability Details:
- CVE-2025-24813 is a path equivalence flaw that affects multiple versions of Apache Tomcat:
– 11.0.0-M1 to 11.0.2
– 10.1.0-M1 to 10.1.34
– 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.98
- Exploitation requires specific conditions, including write-enabled default servlet, partial PUT support, and specific file-handling mechanisms.
– Exploitation & Attack Methodology:
- The flaw allows attackers to upload a malicious Java session file via a PUT API request.
- They then use a GET request to trigger deserialization, leading to remote code execution.
- The attack is simple, requires no authentication, and can be executed in two steps.
– Why This Exploit is Hard to Detect:
- Most Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) fail to recognize the exploit since:
- The PUT request appears normal and lacks obvious malicious indicators.
– The payload is base64-encoded, bypassing pattern-based detection.
- Execution occurs only during deserialization, making real-time identification challenging.
– Mitigation Steps:
- Update Apache Tomcat immediately to versions 9.0.99, 10.1.35, or 11.0, which have addressed the flaw.
- Organizations should also implement enhanced logging and monitoring to detect suspicious PUT requests and review their web server security configurations.
What Undercode Says:
The rapid exploitation of CVE-2025-24813 highlights a broader cybersecurity issueāhow quickly attackers weaponize new vulnerabilities. This case provides several key takeaways for security professionals and organizations:
1. The Speed of Exploitation is Increasing
The 30-hour gap between the PoC release and active exploitation underscores an alarming trendāattackers are automating exploits faster than ever before. This drastically reduces the reaction time for defenders, making rapid patching essential.
2. Open-Source Software and Security Challenges
Apache Tomcat, like many open-source projects, is widely used and relies on the community for security updates. While this promotes transparency, it also means vulnerabilities are exposed quickly, and patches must be urgently applied to prevent mass exploitation.
3. Evasion Techniques are Becoming More Sophisticated
- The use of base64 encoding to bypass WAF detection is a simple yet effective tactic.
- Multi-step attack sequences, like PUT + GET execution, make it harder for security tools to correlate and detect malicious activity.
4. Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) Are Not Enough
Traditional WAFs often rely on static rule-based detection. Attackers have learned to craft payloads that look harmless to these systems. Organizations must complement WAFs with:
– Behavioral anomaly detection
– File integrity monitoring
– Zero-trust security policies
5. The Risk to Cloud-Based Deployments
Many cloud-based services rely on Tomcat for backend applications. If these instances are configured with default settings, they are highly vulnerable. Organizations running containerized deployments of Tomcat (e.g., in Kubernetes or Docker) should:
– Review their security configurations
– Disable unnecessary PUT requests
- Ensure proper access controls and logging are in place
6. CISAās Growing Role in Cybersecurity Defense
The inclusion of this vulnerability in CISAās Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog demonstrates the agencyās increasing influence in coordinating national cybersecurity responses.
– Federal agencies must comply with CISAās directive by April 22, 2025.
– Private organizations should take CISA advisories seriously, as they often signal large-scale attacks in progress.
7. The Need for Proactive Security
This incident reinforces the need for continuous security testing and proactive vulnerability management. Organizations should adopt:
– Regular penetration testing
– Automated patch management
- Threat intelligence feeds to stay ahead of emerging threats
Fact Checker Results:
ā Verified: CVE-2025-24813 is actively exploited, and PoC code is publicly available.
ā Confirmed: Apache Tomcat versions 9.0.99, 10.1.35, and 11.0 have addressed the flaw.
ā Accurate: Web security experts confirm WAFs struggle to detect this attack, making manual review essential.
Organizations using Apache Tomcat should act immediately to mitigate this severe risk. Cybercriminals are already leveraging the flaw, and delays in patching could lead to widespread compromises.
References:
Reported By: https://securityaffairs.com/176129/security/u-s-cisa-adds-apache-tomcat-flaw-known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog.html
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