CVE-2017-3156
HIGHCVE-2017-3156 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) vulnerability in org.apache.cxf.karaf:apache-cxf. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2017-3156 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Covert Timing Channel in Apache CXF
Blast Radius
org.apache.cxf.karaf:apache-cxf☕org.apache.cxf.karaf:apache-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
The OAuth2 Hawk and JOSE MAC Validation code in Apache CXF prior to 3.0.13 and 3.1.x prior to 3.1.10 is not using a constant time MAC signature comparison algorithm which may be exploited by sophisticated timing attacks.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf.karaf:apache-cxf | all versions | 3.0.13 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf.karaf:apache-cxf | ≥ 3.1.0&&< 3.1.10 | 3.1.10 |
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.karaf:apache-cxf. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.apache.cxf.karaf:apache-cxf to 3.0.13 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2017-3156 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 pinpoints whether CVE-2017-3156 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2017-3156. 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-2017-3156 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2017-3156 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.