GHSA-9xcj-c8cr-8c3c
HIGHGHSA-9xcj-c8cr-8c3c is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) CWE-384 vulnerability in org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core. O3 Security confirms whether GHSA-9xcj-c8cr-8c3c is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
In Apache Tomcat, when using FORM authentication there was a narrow window where an attacker could perform a session fixation attack
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core☕org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core☕org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-coreReal-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
When using FORM authentication with Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.29, 8.5.0 to 8.5.49 and 7.0.0 to 7.0.98 there was a narrow window where an attacker could perform a session fixation attack. The window was considered too narrow for an exploit to be practical but, erring on the side of caution, this issue has been treated as a security vulnerability.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core | all versions | 7.0.99 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core | ≥ 8.0.0&&< 8.5.50 | 8.5.50 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core | ≥ 9.0.0&&< 9.0.30 | 9.0.30 |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-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.
Fix
Update org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core to 7.0.99 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-9xcj-c8cr-8c3c 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-9xcj-c8cr-8c3c 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-9xcj-c8cr-8c3c. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
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.
All affected Red Hat products providing the affected component code should update their setups per the product fixes given. The following Red Hat products are out of support scope for Low Impact flaws, and as such will not issue security fixes: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Red Hat JBoss BPM…
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHSA-9xcj-c8cr-8c3c in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-9xcj-c8cr-8c3c across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.