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HIGH

tomcat: Security constrained bypass in error page mechanism

Published Jun 6, 2017

Description

The error page mechanism of the Java Servlet Specification requires that, when an error occurs and an error page is configured for the error that occurred, the original request and response are forwarded to the error page. This means that the request is presented to the error page with the original HTTP method. If the error page is a static file, expected behaviour is to serve content of the file as if processing a GET request, regardless of the actual HTTP method. The Default Servlet in Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M20, 8.5.0 to 8.5.14, 8.0.0.RC1 to 8.0.43 and 7.0.0 to 7.0.77 did not do this. Depending on the original request this could lead to unexpected and undesirable results for static error pages including, if the DefaultServlet is configured to permit writes, the replacement or removal of the custom error page. Notes for other user provided error pages: (1) Unless explicitly coded otherwise, JSPs ignore the HTTP method. JSPs used as error pages must must ensure that they handle any error dispatch as a GET request, regardless of the actual method. (2) By default, the response generated by a Servlet does depend on the HTTP method. Custom Servlets used as error pages must ensure that they handle any error dispatch as a GET request, regardless of the actual method.

Affected products

Remediation

Red Hat statement

This flaw can be triggered for static error pages only if the readonly property for the DefaultServlet is set to false in the $CATALINA_HOME/conf/web.xml file. The default for readonly is true.

Red Hat mitigation

If it is necessary to have the DefaultServlet property readonly=false, use a jsp error page, for example Error404.jsp rather than a static html error page. Alternatively do not specify an error-page in the Deployment Descriptor and use a custom ErrorReportValve.

Metrics

Weaknesses (2)

CWE-266

Incorrect Privilege Assignment

CWE-755

References (71)

Change history (0)

No recorded changes yet.

Sources
CVE.org / MITRE
Status PUBLISHED
Assigner apache
Published Jun 6, 2017
Updated Aug 5, 2024
Reserved Jan 29, 2017
Link CVE-2017-5664
CISA Vulnrichment
Updated n/a
NVD
Status Modified
Modified Jun 17, 2026
Link CVE-2017-5664
Red Hat
Severity Important
Public date Jun 6, 2017
Links CVE-2017-5664 - Bugzilla
GHSA-JMVV-524F-HJ5J