CVE-2013-0239 — cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs
Fix: apache/cxf@e4c6b3bCVE-2013-0239 is a Improper Authentication vulnerability in org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs. A fix is available for org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Improper Authentication 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-rt-frontend-jaxrs☕org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs☕org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrsReal-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 before 2.5.9, 2.6.x before 2.6.6, and 2.7.x before 2.7.3, when the plaintext UsernameToken WS-SecurityPolicy is enabled, allows remote attackers to bypass authentication via a security header of a SOAP request containing a UsernameToken element that lacks a password child element.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs | all versions | 2.5.9org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs:2.5.9 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs | ≥ 2.6.0&&< 2.6.6 | 2.6.6org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs:2.6.6 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs | ≥ 2.7.0&&< 2.7.3 | 2.7.3org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs:2.7.3 |
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-rt-frontend-jaxrs, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.cxf:cxf-rt-frontend-jaxrs to 2.5.9 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2013-0239 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-2013-0239 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2013-0239. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Fuse ESB Enterprise 7.1.0 | see advisory | RHSA-2013:0649 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 6.0 | see advisory | RHSA-2013:0645 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 6 for RHEL 5 | apache-cxf-0:2.4.9-6.redhat_3.ep6.el5 | RHSA-2013:0644 |
| Red Hat JBoss Portal 6.0 | see advisory | RHSA-2013:0749 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2013-0239 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2013-0239 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.