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DotcmsApplication

CVE-2022-37034

MEDIUM · 5.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-02-01
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 21.06.12 / 22.03.4 or later.
See remediation →
62/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
In dotCMS 5.x-22.06, it is possible to call the TempResource multiple times, each time requesting the dotCMS server to download a large file. If done repeatedly, this will result in Tomcat request-thread exhaustion and ultimately a denial of any other requests.

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 confidence

dotCMS contains a TempResource endpoint that allows unrestricted, repeated requests for large file downloads. An attacker can repeatedly invoke this endpoint to cause Tomcat request-thread exhaustion, resulting in denial of service for legitimate users.

MitigationImplement rate limiting and request throttling on the TempResource endpoint. Additionally, configure appropriate thread pool limits and file download timeouts in Tomcat to prevent thread exhaustion.

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
DotcmsApplication
Affected:< 21.06.12>= 5.2.0, < 22.10>= 22.03, < 22.03.4

CVSS 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
None
Availability
Low

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check installed dotCMS version
    Locate the dotCMS installation and identify the version number, typically found in a version.properties file, build.properties, or the admin UI under System Information. Compare this version against the affected ranges: < 21.06.12, >= 5.2.0 and < 22.10, >= 22.03 and < 22.03.4.
    Affected if The installed version falls within any of the affected version ranges.
  2. Verify TempResource endpoint exists
    Check the deployed web application for the TempResource endpoint. This is typically accessible at a path containing 'TempResource' or similar. Inspect the application's URL routing configuration or WAR file structure.
    Affected if The TempResource endpoint is present in the deployed application.
  3. Confirm endpoint allows large file download requests
    Review the TempResource endpoint configuration or code to determine if it accepts and processes large file download requests without size limits or throttling. Check if the endpoint accepts parameters for file size or download duration.
    Affected if The endpoint accepts requests for large file downloads without explicit size restrictions.
  4. Check for rate limiting on TempResource
    Inspect any web application firewall (WAF), API gateway, or application-level configuration for rate limiting rules targeting the TempResource endpoint. Look for rules that would restrict repeated requests from a single source.
    Affected if No rate limiting or request throttling is configured for the TempResource endpoint.

You are affected if your dotCMS version is in the affected ranges AND the TempResource endpoint is exposed without rate limiting, allowing unrestricted large file downloads that could exhaust Tomcat request threads.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 21.06.12 / 22.03.4 / 22.10 or later
Fixed in 21.06.1222.03.422.10
Interim mitigation

Implement rate limiting and request throttling on the TempResource endpoint. Additionally, configure appropriate thread pool limits and file download timeouts in Tomcat to prevent thread exhaustion.

Recommended fix High confidence

dotCMS 22.10 or later

  1. 1. Back up your current dotCMS installation and database
  2. 2. Download the latest dotCMS release (22.10 or later) from the official dotCMS distribution channels
  3. 3. Stop the dotCMS server
  4. 4. Upgrade the dotCMS installation by deploying the new version
  5. 5. Verify the upgrade was successful by accessing the admin panel
  6. 6. Test that the TempResource endpoint is properly secured and cannot be exploited for DoS
Caveat Review the release notes for version 22.10 for any configuration or API changes that may affect your implementation

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Dotcms Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,490
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,984.

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-37034 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data