How severe is CVE-2012-2138?

No CVSS score has been assigned to CVE-2012-2138 yet. Review the advisory details and affected package list to assess your exposure.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2012-2138?

CVE-2012-2138 affects the following packages: org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.servlets.post (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2012-2138?

Update org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.servlets.post to 2.1.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2012-2138 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2012-2138 in my Maven dependencies?

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

How do I mitigate CVE-2012-2138 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

Cap what an attacker can consume: apply request size, rate and timeout limits in front of the affected component, and run it with memory and CPU limits so exhaustion degrades one worker rather than the whole service.

Is CVE-2012-2138 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 1 known exploit references for CVE-2012-2138, including 1 documented proof-of-concept exploit on Exploit-DB. 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-2012-2138?

CVE-2012-2138 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 14.1%, placing it in the 97th 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-2012-2138?

CVE-2012-2138 is classified as CWE-264 (CWE-264). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2012-2138 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2012-2138 was published on May 17, 2022 and was last updated on December 6, 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-2012-2138 — org.apache.sling.servlets…

Fix: apache/sling-org-apache-sling-servlets-post@0205892

CVE-2012-2138 is a CWE-264 vulnerability in org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.servlets.post. 1 public exploit or proof-of-concept reference is indexed, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.servlets.post — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Apache Sling POST Servlets Denial of Service Vulnerability

Published

May 17, 2022

Updated

Dec 6, 2024

Affected

1 pkg

Patched

1 / 1

Exploits

1 known

Exploitation data as of Oct 31, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

14.1%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Moderate Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs97th percentile — riskier than 97% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

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

Real-World Exposure

1 pkg affected

☕org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.servlets.post

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 @CopyFrom operation in the POST servlet in the org.apache.sling.servlets.post bundle before 2.1.2 in Apache Sling does not prevent attempts to copy an ancestor node to a descendant node, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafted HTTP request.

Affected Packages

1 total 1 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.servlets.post`	all versions	2.1.2`org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.servlets.post:2.1.2`

Affected Products

1 product · 1 configurations

Application

org.apache.sling.servlets.postapache

≤ 2.1.0

range

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-37487dosmultiple✓ Verified

Apache Sling - Denial of Service

by IOactive · Jul 6, 2012

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 org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.servlets.post, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.sling:org.apache.sling.servlets.post to 2.1.2 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2012-2138 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Cap what an attacker can consume: apply request size, rate and timeout limits in front of the affected component, and run it with memory and CPU limits so exhaustion degrades one worker rather than the whole service.

Frequently Asked Questions

The `@CopyFrom` operation in the POST servlet in the `org.apache.sling.servlets.post` bundle before 2.1.2 in Apache Sling does not prevent attempts to copy an ancestor node to a descendant node, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafted HTTP request.

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

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