How severe is CVE-2023-50164?

CVE-2023-50164 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10, rated CRITICAL. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2023-50164?

CVE-2023-50164 affects the following packages: org.apache.struts:struts2-core (Maven), org.apache.struts:struts2-core (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2023-50164?

Update org.apache.struts:struts2-core to 2.5.33 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2023-50164 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2023-50164 in my Maven dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.struts:struts2-core. 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.

How do I mitigate CVE-2023-50164 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

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 does O3 Security protect against CVE-2023-50164?

O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2023-50164 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.

Is CVE-2023-50164 actively exploited in the wild?

Yes. There are 12 known exploit references for CVE-2023-50164, including 6 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 type of vulnerability is CVE-2023-50164?

CVE-2023-50164 is classified as CWE-552 (CWE-552). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2023-50164 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2023-50164 was published on December 7, 2023 and was last updated on July 15, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

☕ Maven

CVE-2023-50164

CRITICAL

Apache Struts: File upload component had a directory traversal vulnerability

Also known asGHSA-2j39-qcjm-428w

Published

Dec 7, 2023

Updated

Jul 15, 2026

Affected

2 pkgs

Patched

2 / 2

Exploits

12 known

Blast Radius

2 pkgs affected

☕org.apache.struts:struts2-core☕org.apache.struts:struts2-core

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

An attacker can manipulate file upload params to enable paths traversal and under some circumstances this can lead to uploading a malicious file which can be used to perform Remote Code Execution. Users are recommended to upgrade to versions Struts 2.5.33 or Struts 6.3.0.2 or greater to fix this issue.

Affected Packages

2 total 2 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.apache.struts:struts2-core`	≥ 2.0.0&&< 2.5.33	2.5.33
☕Maven	`org.apache.struts:struts2-core`	≥ 6.0.0&&< 6.3.0.2	6.3.0.2

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.