How severe is CVE-2008-6504?

No CVSS score has been assigned to CVE-2008-6504 yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2008-6504?

CVE-2008-6504 affects the following packages: com.opensymphony:xwork (Maven), com.opensymphony:xwork (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2008-6504?

Update com.opensymphony:xwork to 2.0.6 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2008-6504 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2008-6504 in my Maven dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for com.opensymphony:xwork, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate CVE-2008-6504 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

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.

Is CVE-2008-6504 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 4 known exploit references for CVE-2008-6504, including 1 documented proof-of-concept exploit on Exploit-DB and 3 in-the-wild exploitations observed on GitHub and other sources. Treat this as actively exploitable and prioritize patching immediately. All exploit code should only be run in an isolated sandbox environment for research or authorized testing — never against production systems without explicit written authorization.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2008-6504?

CVE-2008-6504 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 38.6%, placing it in the 99th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score warrants monitoring and prompt remediation.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2008-6504?

CVE-2008-6504 is classified as Improper Input Validation (CWE-20). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2008-6504 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2008-6504 was published on May 17, 2022 and was last updated on November 28, 2024. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

☕ Maven

Not in CISA KEV

CVE-2008-6504 — xwork

CVE-2008-6504 is a Improper Input Validation vulnerability in com.opensymphony:xwork. 4 public exploit or proof-of-concept references are indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for com.opensymphony:xwork — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Improper Input Validation in OpenSymphony XWork

Published

May 17, 2022

Updated

Nov 28, 2024

Affected

2 pkgs

Patched

2 / 2

Exploits

4 known

Exploitation data as of Nov 6, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

38.6%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Moderate Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs99th percentile — riskier than 99% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

Real-World Exposure

2 pkgs affected

☕com.opensymphony:xwork☕com.opensymphony:xwork

Real-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

ParametersInterceptor in OpenSymphony XWork 2.0.x before 2.0.6 and 2.1.x before 2.1.2, as used in Apache Struts and other products, does not properly restrict # (pound sign) references to context objects, which allows remote attackers to execute Object-Graph Navigation Language (OGNL) statements and modify server-side context objects, as demonstrated by use of a \u0023 representation for the # character.

Affected Packages

2 total 2 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`com.opensymphony:xwork`	all versions	2.0.6`com.opensymphony:xwork:2.0.6`
☕Maven	`com.opensymphony:xwork`	≥ 2.1.0&&< 2.1.2	2.1.2`com.opensymphony:xwork:2.1.2`

Affected Products

2 products · 20 configurations

Application

strutsapache

12 versions

2.0.02.0.22.0.32.0.42.0.52.0.62.0.72.0.82.0.92.0.112.0.11.12.0.11.2

Application

xworkopensymphony

8 versions

2.0.02.0.12.0.22.0.32.0.42.0.52.1.02.1.1

Exploits & PoCs

Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.

EDB-32564remotemultiple✓ Verified

XWork < 2.0.11.2 - 'ParameterInterceptor' Class OGNL Security Bypass

by Meder Kydyraliev · Nov 4, 2008

Exploit-DB Source

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for com.opensymphony:xwork, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update com.opensymphony:xwork to 2.0.6 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2008-6504 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

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