Denial of Service via Infinite Loop in tomcat7
Summary
DLA-823-2: tomcat7 - regression update. Affects tomcat7 versions < 7.0.28-4+deb7u11. Fixed in 7.0.28-4+deb7u11. How to fix ↓
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Background
Apache Tomcat is an open-source web server and servlet container that is used to serve Java web applications. It provides a Java Servlet and JavaServer Pages (JSP) engine, as well as support for other Java-based web technologies. The tomcat7 package is the version specifically designed for Debian 7 Wheezy. This package is vulnerable to a programming error in the processing of HTTPS requests, which can lead to a denial of service (DoS) attack through an infinite loop.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in tomcat7 arises from a programming error in the handling of HTTPS requests. When a malicious request is made, the servlet and JSP engine may enter an infinite loop, causing the server to become unresponsive and potentially leading to a DoS condition. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely by an attacker without requiring any authentication. It is important to note that this vulnerability only affects the tomcat7 package in Debian 7 Wheezy.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
7.0.28-4+deb7u11
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade tomcat7Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to apply the provided fix by upgrading the tomcat7 package to the patched version.
Conclusion
The tomcat7 package in Debian 7 Wheezy is vulnerable to a denial of service attack through an infinite loop in the processing of HTTPS requests. To mitigate this vulnerability, it is recommended to upgrade the tomcat7 package to version 7.0.28-4+deb7u10 or later. No known workaround exists for this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for tomcat7 →
FAQ
This vulnerability allows an attacker to cause a denial of service condition on a server running the vulnerable tomcat7 package. By sending a specially crafted HTTPS request, the attacker can trigger an infinite loop in the servlet and JSP engine, causing the server to become unresponsive and potentially disrupting the availability of the web application.
Yes, this vulnerability can be exploited remotely by an attacker without requiring any authentication. The attacker can send a malicious HTTPS request to the vulnerable server to trigger the infinite loop and cause a denial of service condition.
This vulnerability only affects systems running the tomcat7 package in Debian 7 Wheezy. Other versions of Apache Tomcat or Debian may not be affected.
No, there is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is crucial to apply the provided fix by upgrading the tomcat7 package to the patched version.
You can find more information about this vulnerability, including the Debian LTS security advisory, at the following link: https://wiki.debian.org/LTS
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