StrutsFramework / library · Apache
CVE-2012-0838
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedApache Struts 2 before 2.2.3.1 evaluates a string as an OGNL expression during the handling of a conversion error, which allows remote attackers to modify run-time data values, and consequently execute arbitrary code, via invalid input to a field.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceApache Struts 2 before 2.2.3.1 contains an OGNL injection vulnerability in its conversion error handling logic. When invalid input is provided to a field, the framework incorrectly evaluates the user-supplied string as an OGNL expression, allowing attackers to modify runtime data and execute arbitrary code remotely.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
StrutsFramework / library
>= 2.0.0, <= 2.2.3CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify Struts2 core JAR versionLocate the struts2-core.jar file in your application deployment (typically in WEB-INF/lib for WAR deployments, or in the classpath for embedded applications). Check the filename version suffix or inspect the JAR manifest (META-INF/MANIFEST.mf) for the Implementation-Version attribute.Affected if The version falls within the range 2.0.0 to 2.2.3 inclusive.
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Check Maven dependency versionIf your project uses Maven, inspect the pom.xml file for the struts2-core dependency declaration and note the declared version.Affected if The declared version is 2.0.0, 2.2.0, 2.2.1, 2.2.2, or 2.2.3.
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Verify application uses Struts2 form bindingReview your application code to confirm it uses Struts2 for form handling. This vulnerability is triggered when Struts2 attempts type conversion on form input fields and a conversion error occurs.Affected if Your application processes user input through Struts2 action forms and relies on Struts2's type conversion mechanism.
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Confirm conversion error handling is possibleIdentify any action classes with typed properties (such as Integer, Date, or custom objects) that accept user input from web forms. These are the entry points where conversion errors could be triggered.Affected if Your application has form input fields mapped to typed properties in Struts2 actions where invalid input could cause conversion errors.
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Check for public-facing input pointsMap your web application's form inputs and query parameters that flow through Struts2 actions with type-converted properties.Affected if Untrusted user input can be submitted to actions with typed properties, providing a vector to trigger the OGNL injection.
You are affected if your application runs any version of Apache Struts 2 between 2.0.0 and 2.2.3 and accepts user input through Struts2 form bindings that could trigger conversion errors.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade Apache Struts 2 to version 2.2.3.1 or later, which contains the fix for proper OGNL expression handling during conversion errors.
Apache Struts 2.2.3.1 or later
- 1. Identify all applications using Apache Struts 2 versions 2.0.0 through 2.2.3
- 2. Download Apache Struts 2.2.3.1 or later from the official Apache Struts repository (struts.apache.org)
- 3. Replace the struts2-core library JAR file in your application with the new version
- 4. Update any dependencies that may have version constraints on Struts 2 libraries
- 5. Rebuild and redeploy the application
- 6. Test the application thoroughly, especially form validation and conversion behavior
- 7. Verify the upgrade by checking that the struts2-core version is 2.2.3.1 or higher
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
Fix this in Struts
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing12.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,888.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-0838 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2012-0838 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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