CVE-2013-4590
CVE-2013-4590 is a Information Exposure vulnerability in apache tomcat. O3 Security detects and blocks CVE-2013-4590 exploitation at runtime via eBPF exploit-chain detection and L7 egress monitoring, even on unpatched systems.
Apache Tomcat before 6.0.39, 7.x before 7.0.50, and 8.x before 8.0.0-RC10 allows attackers to obtain "Tomcat internals" information by leveraging the presence of an untrusted web application…
Description
Apache Tomcat before 6.0.39, 7.x before 7.0.50, and 8.x before 8.0.0-RC10 allows attackers to obtain "Tomcat internals" information by leveraging the presence of an untrusted web application with a context.xml, web.xml, *.jspx, *.tagx, or *.tld XML document containing an external entity declaration in conjunction with an entity reference, related to an XML External Entity (XXE) issue.
Affected Products
tomcatapachedebian linuxdebiansolarisoracleDetection & mitigation playbook
Vendor / applianceDetect
Inventory every apache tomcat deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for exploitation at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.
Remediation status
No patch has shipped for CVE-2013-4590 yet — track the apache tomcat advisory for a fixed release and apply the workarounds below in the meantime.
Mitigate without a patch
Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.
How O3 protects you
O3 detects and blocks CVE-2013-4590 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.
Tailored to CVE-2013-4590. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2013-4590 being exploited in your environment?
O3's eBPF runtime sensors and L7 egress monitoring detect and block the CVE-2013-4590 exploit chain at execution — protecting unpatched and end-of-life systems until the vendor patch is applied.