CVE-2012-2379 — cxf
Fix: apache/cxf@440528dCVE-2012-2379 is a security vulnerability in org.apache.cxf:cxf. A fix is available for org.apache.cxf:cxf — see the affected versions and patch details below.
XML Signature/Encryption Not Validated in Apache CXF
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.cxf:cxf☕org.apache.cxf:cxf☕org.apache.cxf:cxfReal-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
Apache CXF 2.4.x before 2.4.8, 2.5.x before 2.5.4, and 2.6.x before 2.6.1, when a Supporting Token specifies a child WS-SecurityPolicy 1.1 or 1.2 policy, does not properly ensure that an XML element is signed or encrypted, which has unspecified impact and attack vectors.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf | ≥ 2.4.0&&< 2.4.8 | 2.4.8org.apache.cxf:cxf:2.4.8 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf | ≥ 2.5.0&&< 2.5.4 | 2.5.4org.apache.cxf:cxf:2.5.4 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf | ≥ 2.6.0&&< 2.6.1 | 2.6.1org.apache.cxf:cxf:2.6.1 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
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 2.4.8 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2012-2379 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-2012-2379 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2012-2379. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| JBEWP 5 for RHEL 5 | aopalliance-0:1.0-5.2.jdk6.ep5.el5 | RHSA-2013:0196 |
| JBEWP 5 for RHEL 6 | aopalliance-0:1.0-5.3.ep5.el6 | RHSA-2013:0195 |
| JBoss Enterprise BRMS Platform 5.3 | see advisory | RHSA-2012:1559 |
| JBoss Enterprise BRMS Platform 5.3 | see advisory | RHSA-2012:1573 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 5.2 | see advisory | RHSA-2013:0194 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 5 for RHEL 5 | aopalliance-0:1.0-5.2.jdk6.ep5.el5 | RHSA-2013:0192 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 5 for RHEL 6 | aopalliance-0:1.0-5.3.ep5.el6 | RHSA-2013:0191 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 6.0 | see advisory | RHSA-2012:1594 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2012-2379 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2012-2379 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.