CVE-2014-0114 — commons-beanutils
Fix: apache/commons-beanutils#7CVE-2014-0114 is a Improper Input Validation vulnerability in commons-beanutils:commons-beanutils. 4 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. A fix is available for commons-beanutils:commons-beanutils — see the affected versions and patch details below.
Arbitrary code execution in Apache Commons BeanUtils
Exploitation Status
No confirmed exploitation observed yet
- CISA assesses this as automatable — exploitation doesn’t require manual, per-target effort, which raises the odds of mass scanning and opportunistic attacks.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
- CISA’s own triage has not observed active exploitation or public proof-of-concept code for this CVE as of its last assessment.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2014-0114.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
Real-World Exposure
commons-beanutils:commons-beanutilsReal-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 Commons BeanUtils, as distributed in lib/commons-beanutils-1.8.0.jar in Apache Struts 1.x through 1.3.10 and in other products requiring commons-beanutils through 1.9.2, does not suppress the class property, which allows remote attackers to "manipulate" the ClassLoader and execute arbitrary code via the class parameter, as demonstrated by the passing of this parameter to the getClass method of the ActionForm object in Struts 1.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | commons-beanutils:commons-beanutils | ≥ 1.8.0&&< 1.9.4 | 1.9.4commons-beanutils:commons-beanutils:1.9.4 |
Affected Products
commons beanutilsapachestrutsapacheResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Apache Struts < 1.3.10 / < 2.3.16.2 - ClassLoader Manipulation Remote Code Execution (Metasploit)
by Metasploit · Mar 6, 2014
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for commons-beanutils:commons-beanutils, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update commons-beanutils:commons-beanutils to 1.9.4 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2014-0114 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.
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.
This flaw allows attackers to manipulate ClassLoader properties on a vulnerable server. The impact of this depends on which ClassLoader properties are exposed. Exploits that lead to remote code execution have been published. These exploits rely on ClassLoader properties that are exposed on Tomcat 8, which is not…
http://h30499.www3.hp.com/t5/HP-Security-Research-Blog/Protect-your-Struts1-applications/ba-p/6463188#.VCaGk3V53UaSource: Red Hat security advisory for CVE-2014-0114 (CC BY 4.0)
| Product | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Fuse ESB Enterprise 7.1.0 | see advisory | RHSA-2014:0498 |
| Red Hat AMQ Broker 7 | see advisory | RHSA-2019:2995 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | struts-0:1.2.9-4jpp.8.el5_10 | RHSA-2014:0474 |
| Red Hat JBoss Fuse 6.1 | see advisory | RHSA-2014:0497 |
| Red Hat JBoss Fuse 7 | see advisory | RHSA-2018:2669 |
| Red Hat JBoss Operations Network 3.2 | see advisory | RHSA-2014:0511 |
| Red Hat Network Satellite Server v 5.4 | struts-0:1.3.10-6.ep5.el6 | RHSA-2014:0500 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2014-0114 in your dependencies?
Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.