CVE-2008-4308 — tomcat
CVE-2008-4308 is a Information Exposure vulnerability in org.apache.tomcat:tomcat. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.apache.tomcat:tomcat — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Apache Tomcat information disclosure vulnerability
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat☕org.apache.tomcat:tomcatReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
The doRead method in Apache Tomcat 4.1.32 through 4.1.34 and 5.5.10 through 5.5.20 does not return a -1 to indicate when a certain error condition has occurred, which can cause Tomcat to send POST content from one request to a different request.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tomcat:tomcat | ≥ 4.1.32&&< 4.1.35 | 4.1.35org.apache.tomcat:tomcat:4.1.35 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tomcat:tomcat | ≥ 5.5.10&&< 5.5.21 | 5.5.21org.apache.tomcat:tomcat:5.5.21 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.tomcat:tomcat, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to 4.1.35 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2008-4308 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2008-4308 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2008-4308. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2008-4308 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2008-4308 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.