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)?

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 does O3 Security protect against CVE-2012-2138?

O3 Security's impact-aware SCA analyses which vulnerable code paths your application actually calls, so a match like CVE-2012-2138 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.

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 96th 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 reference exists, 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 Sep 21, 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 CVEs96th percentile — riskier than 96% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

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

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`

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
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-2012-2138 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.

Tailored to CVE-2012-2138. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.

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

Is CVE-2012-2138 in your dependencies?

O3 Security finds CVE-2012-2138 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.

Scan my dependencies How O3 SCA works