CVE-2017-5638Known exploitationPublic exploitNetwork attack vectorHinoki check available

Unauthenticated command execution via multipart error OGNL evaluation

Published Mar 11, 2017 · Updated Oct 21, 2025

OGNL injection in Apache Struts 2's Jakarta multipart parser allows remote attackers to execute commands via crafted HTTP headers. In 2.3.5 through 2.3.31 and 2.5 through 2.5.10, JakartaMultiPartRequest.buildErrorMessage passes header-derived exception text to LocalizedTextUtil.findText as an OGNL-evaluated default message. Exploitation requires a reachable application using a Jakarta multipart parser, but no authentication or user interaction, and commands run with the web application's privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability100.00%
Next 30 days · Nov 1, 2026
Known exploitationReported
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkAvailable
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Summary

What happened

OGNL injection in Apache Struts 2's Jakarta multipart parser allows remote attackers to execute commands via crafted HTTP headers. In 2.3.5 through 2.3.31 and 2.5 through 2.5.10, JakartaMultiPartRequest.buildErrorMessage passes header-derived exception text to LocalizedTextUtil.findText as an OGNL-evaluated default message. Exploitation requires a reachable application using a Jakarta multipart parser, but no authentication or user interaction, and commands run with the web application's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2017-5638
Published
Mar 11, 2017
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Vendor
Apache Software Foundation
Product
Apache Struts
Classifications
CWE-755, CWE-94, CWE-20, T1190
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 11, 2017CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=2.3.x before 2.3.32
  2. Affected versionversion=2.5.x before 2.5.10.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Apache Software Foundation · Apache Strutsversion=2.3.x before 2.3.32; version=2.5.x before 2.5.10.1

Published CVSS scores

10.0CERT/CCAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:H
9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.7CERT/CCAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C/E:H/RL:OF/RC:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Activity data is delayed. The latest report is Sep 28, 2026.

Daily unique IPsShadowserver observations through Sep 28, 2026. Gaps indicate unavailable data.
Sep 22, 2026Sep 28, 2026
View daily counts
Reporting dayUnique IPs
Sep 22, 20261
Sep 23, 20261
Sep 24, 20262
Sep 25, 2026Unavailable
Sep 26, 20264
Sep 27, 20261
Sep 28, 20261
Latest reporting daySep 28, 2026
Latest daily unique IPs1
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationReported
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-755Improper Handling of Exceptional Conditions
CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Reported exploitation

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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