GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerability in org.apache.cxf:cxf. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Authorization service vulnerable to DDos attacks in Apache CFX
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.cxf:cxf☕org.apache.cxf:cxf☕org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf☕org.apache.cxf: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
CXF supports (via JwtRequestCodeFilter) passing OAuth 2 parameters via a JWT token as opposed to query parameters (see: The OAuth 2.0 Authorization Framework: JWT Secured Authorization Request (JAR)). Instead of sending a JWT token as a "request" parameter, the spec also supports specifying a URI from which to retrieve a JWT token from via the "request_uri" parameter. CXF was not validating the "request_uri" parameter (apart from ensuring it uses "https) and was making a REST request to the parameter in the request to retrieve a token. This means that CXF was vulnerable to DDos attacks on the authorization server, as specified in section 10.4.1 of the spec. This issue affects Apache CXF versions prior to 3.4.3; Apache CXF versions prior to 3.3.10.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf | ≥ 3.4.0&&< 3.4.3 | 3.4.3 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:cxf | all versions | 3.3.10 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf | ≥ 3.4.0&&< 3.4.3 | 3.4.3 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.cxf:apache-cxf | all versions | 3.3.10 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
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: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:cxf to 3.4.3 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg 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 GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg 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 GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-7q4h-pj78-j7vg across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.