How severe is CVE-2012-0803?

CVE-2012-0803 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10, rated CRITICAL. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2012-0803?

CVE-2012-0803 affects the following packages: org.apache.cxf:cxf (Maven), org.apache.cxf:cxf (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2012-0803?

Update org.apache.cxf:cxf to 2.4.6 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2012-0803 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2012-0803 in my Maven dependencies?

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

How do I mitigate CVE-2012-0803 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

Put an independent control in front of the weakness: restrict the affected endpoint or interface to trusted networks, require an additional authentication factor or proxy-level check, and invalidate existing sessions and credentials in case the flaw has already been used.

Is CVE-2012-0803 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for CVE-2012-0803 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2012-0803?

CVE-2012-0803 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 3.5%, placing it in the 89th 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 indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2012-0803?

CVE-2012-0803 is classified as Improper Authentication (CWE-287). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2012-0803 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2012-0803 was published on May 13, 2022 and was last updated on November 8, 2023. 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

CRITICAL severity

CVE-2012-0803 — cxf

CRITICAL

CVE-2012-0803 is a critical-severity (CVSS 9.8) Improper Authentication vulnerability in org.apache.cxf:cxf. A fix is available for org.apache.cxf:cxf — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Improper Authentication in Apache CXF

Published

May 13, 2022

Updated

Nov 8, 2023

Affected

2 pkgs

Patched

2 / 2

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Nov 4, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

3.5%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs89th percentile — riskier than 89% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

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

How urgent is this, really

Where this sits among everything scored

Real-World Exposure

2 pkgs affected

☕org.apache.cxf:cxf☕org.apache.cxf:cxf

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

The WS-SP UsernameToken policy in Apache CXF 2.4.5 and 2.5.1 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication by sending an empty UsernameToken as part of a SOAP request.

Affected Packages

2 total 2 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.apache.cxf:cxf`	≥ 2.4.0&&< 2.4.6	2.4.6`org.apache.cxf:cxf:2.4.6`
☕Maven	`org.apache.cxf:cxf`	≥ 2.5.0&&< 2.5.2	2.5.2`org.apache.cxf:cxf:2.5.2`

Affected Products

1 product · 2 configurations

Application

cxfapache

2 versions

2.4.52.5.1

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.cxf:cxf, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.cxf:cxf to 2.4.6 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2012-0803 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Put an independent control in front of the weakness: restrict the affected endpoint or interface to trusted networks, require an additional authentication factor or proxy-level check, and invalidate existing sessions and credentials in case the flaw has already been used.

Frequently Asked Questions

The WS-SP UsernameToken policy in Apache CXF 2.4.5 and 2.5.1 allows remote attackers to bypass authentication by sending an empty UsernameToken as part of a SOAP request.

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

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