GHSA-gg9m-fj3v-r58c
HIGHREST Plugin in Apache Struts uses an XStreamHandler with an instance of XStream for deserialization without any type filtering
EPSS Exploitation Probability
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
org.apache.struts:struts2-rest-plugin☕org.apache.struts:struts2-rest-pluginReal-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 REST Plugin in Apache Struts 2.1.1 through 2.3.x before 2.3.34 and 2.5.x before 2.5.13 uses an XStreamHandler with an instance of XStream for deserialization without any type filtering, which can lead to Remote Code Execution when deserializing XML payloads.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.struts:struts2-rest-plugin | ≥ 2.1.1&&< 2.3.34 | 2.3.34 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.struts:struts2-rest-plugin | ≥ 2.5.0&&< 2.5.13 | 2.5.13 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Apache Struts 2.5 < 2.5.12 - REST Plugin XStream Remote Code Execution
by Warflop · Sep 6, 2017
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.struts:struts2-rest-plugin. 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.struts:struts2-rest-plugin to 2.3.34 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms GHSA-gg9m-fj3v-r58c 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-gg9m-fj3v-r58c 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-gg9m-fj3v-r58c. 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-gg9m-fj3v-r58c in your dependencies?
O3 detects GHSA-gg9m-fj3v-r58c across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.