How severe is CVE-2017-9791?

CVE-2017-9791 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10, rated CRITICAL. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2017-9791?

CVE-2017-9791 affects the following packages: org.apache.struts:struts2-struts1-plugin (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2017-9791?

No fixed version has been published for CVE-2017-9791 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates, apply mitigations recommended by the vendor, and use O3 Security to track when a fix becomes available in your stack.

Is CVE-2017-9791 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 9 known exploit references for CVE-2017-9791, including 2 documented proof-of-concept exploits on Exploit-DB and 5 in-the-wild exploitations observed on GitHub and other sources. Treat this as actively exploitable and prioritize patching immediately. All exploit code should only be run in an isolated sandbox environment for research or authorized testing — never against production systems without explicit written authorization.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2017-9791?

CVE-2017-9791 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 94.1%, placing it in the 100th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. A score above 50% indicates significantly elevated exploitation risk — immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Is CVE-2017-9791 in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog?

Yes. CVE-2017-9791 (Apache Struts 1 Improper Input Validation Vulnerability) was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2022-02-10. CISA required all US federal civilian agencies to remediate this vulnerability by 2022-08-10. The required action was: Apply updates per vendor instructions. Being listed in the KEV catalog is the strongest possible confirmation of active exploitation — treat this as a critical priority.

Is there exploit tooling available for CVE-2017-9791?

A Nuclei detection template exists for CVE-2017-9791, meaning automated scanners can fingerprint it. Public exploit tooling significantly increases real-world risk — prioritize patching and ensure detection coverage. Exploit tooling should only ever be used in isolated, authorized testing environments.

When was CVE-2017-9791 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2017-9791 was published on July 10, 2017 and was last updated on April 10, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

CISA KEV·Added 2022-02-10 — agencies required to remediate by 2022-08-10

☕ Maven

CVE-2017-9791

CRITICAL

Code execution in Apache Struts 1 plugin

Also known asGHSA-29rm-6752-gvwv

Published

Jul 10, 2017

Updated

Apr 10, 2026

Affected

1 pkg

Patched

None yet

Exploits

9 known

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

94.1%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Very High Risk100th percentile0.00%

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.

Blast Radius

1 pkg affected

☕org.apache.struts:struts2-struts1-plugin

Real-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 Struts 1 plugin in Apache Struts 2.1.x and 2.3.x might allow remote code execution via a malicious field value passed in a raw message to the ActionMessage.

Affected Packages

1 total

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.apache.struts:struts2-struts1-plugin`	all versions	No fix

Exploits & PoCs

Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.

EDB-44643remotemultiple✓ Verified

Apache Struts 2 - Struts 1 Plugin Showcase OGNL Code Execution (Metasploit)

by Metasploit · May 17, 2018

Exploit-DB Source

EDB-42324webappsmultiple✓ Verified

Apache Struts 2.3.x Showcase - Remote Code Execution

by Vex Woo · Jul 7, 2017

Exploit-DB Source

Frequently Asked Questions

The Struts 1 plugin in Apache Struts 2.1.x and 2.3.x might allow remote code execution via a malicious field value passed in a raw message to the ActionMessage.

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

Is CVE-2017-9791 in your stack?

O3 detects CVE-2017-9791 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.

Scan my stack How O3 SCA works