CVE-2013-2186 — commons-fileupload
Fix: apache/commons-fileupload@163a606CVE-2013-2186 is a Improper Input Validation vulnerability in commons-fileupload:commons-fileupload. 2 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for commons-fileupload:commons-fileupload — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Arbitrary file write in Apache Commons Fileupload
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
commons-fileupload:commons-fileuploadReal-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 DiskFileItem class in Apache Commons FileUpload, as used in Red Hat JBoss BRMS 5.3.1; JBoss Portal 4.3 CP07, 5.2.2, and 6.0.0; and Red Hat JBoss Web Server 1.0.2 allows remote attackers to write to arbitrary files via a NULL byte in a file name in a serialized instance.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | commons-fileupload:commons-fileupload | all versions | 1.3.1commons-fileupload:commons-fileupload:1.3.1 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for commons-fileupload:commons-fileupload, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update commons-fileupload:commons-fileupload to 1.3.1 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2013-2186 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-2013-2186 can be triaged on real exposure rather than presence alone.
Tailored to CVE-2013-2186. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| JBoss Enterprise BRMS Platform 5.3 | see advisory | RHSA-2013:1430 |
| Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Web Server 1 for RHEL 5 | jakarta-commons-fileupload-1:1.1.1-7.7.ep5.el5 | RHSA-2013:1428 |
| Red Hat JBoss Operations Network 3.1 | see advisory | RHSA-2013:1448 |
| Red Hat JBoss SOA Platform 4.3 | see advisory | RHSA-2013:1442 |
| Red Hat JBoss Web Server 1.0 | see advisory | RHSA-2013:1429 |
| Red Hat OpenShift Enterprise 3.1 | atomic-openshift-0:3.1.1.6-1.git.0.b57e8bd.el7aos | RHSA-2016:0070 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2013-2186 in your dependencies?
O3 Security finds CVE-2013-2186 across Maven dependencies, including transitive ones, and its impact-aware SCA ranks findings by whether your code actually calls the vulnerable path.