StrutsFramework / library · Apache
CVE-2015-5209
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.x before 2.3.24.1 allows remote attackers to manipulate Struts internals, alter user sessions, or affect container settings via vectors involving a top object.
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 confidenceOGNL injection vulnerability in Apache Struts 2.x before 2.3.24.1 allowing remote attackers to manipulate the 'top' object in OGNL expressions. This enables injection of malicious OGNL expressions that can manipulate Struts internals, alter user sessions, or modify container settings.
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= 2.0.1= 2.0.2= 2.0.3= 2.0.4= 2.0.5= 2.0.6= 2.0.7= 2.0.8= 2.0.9= 2.0.10= 2.0.11CVSS 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
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
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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Locate the Struts 2 core JAR fileSearch for 'struts2-core' JAR file in your application's lib directory, WAR file, or classpath. The filename typically includes the version number (for example: struts2-core-2.3.20.jar).Affected if The JAR file version number is lower than 2.3.24.1
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Check Maven or build configurationIf your project uses Maven, inspect the pom.xml file for the struts2-core dependency version. For other build systems, check the dependency management configuration.Affected if The declared struts2-core version is 2.3.24.0 or earlier, or any 2.0.x through 2.3.x version below 2.3.24.1
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Verify OGNL expression processing is in useConfirm your application uses Struts 2 action mappings that process parameters through OGNL. This is the default behavior in Struts 2; check your struts.xml for action configurations and any custom interceptors that modify parameter handling.Affected if The application processes request parameters through Struts 2's default parameter interceptor stack, which evaluates OGNL expressions
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Identify exposed endpointsReview your web.xml to find servlet mappings and action extensions (typically .action or .do) that accept user input. These endpoints can receive malicious OGNL payloads.Affected if Public-facing or internal endpoints exist that accept parameter input through Struts 2 action mappings
Your environment is affected if the deployed struts2-core library is any version before 2.3.24.1 and your application accepts parameter input through Struts 2 action mappings.
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.
From vendor dataUpgrade to Apache Struts version 2.3.24.1 or later which patches the OGNL injection vector. If immediate upgrade is not feasible, implement strict input validation and network-level restrictions on affected endpoints.
Fix this in Struts
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation8.0 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 $7,296.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2015-5209 — 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-2015-5209 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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