CVE-2026-43514Network attack vector

AJP secret disclosure via timing side channel

Published May 12, 2026 · Updated May 12, 2026

Observable timing discrepancy in affected Apache Tomcat releases allows remote attackers to recover the AJP secret from the local network. AjpProcessor.prepareRequest compares the request secret with MessageBytes.equals instead of a constant-time byte comparison, exposing match progress through timing. The attack requires network reachability to an enabled AJP Connector configured with a secret; recovering it permits requests to be accepted as coming from a trusted worker.

CVSS severity3.7
Low
EPSS probability0.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Observable timing discrepancy in affected Apache Tomcat releases allows remote attackers to recover the AJP secret from the local network. AjpProcessor.prepareRequest compares the request secret with MessageBytes.equals instead of a constant-time byte comparison, exposing match progress through timing. The attack requires network reachability to an enabled AJP Connector configured with a secret; recovering it permits requests to be accepted as coming from a trusted worker.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-43514
Published
May 12, 2026
Updated
May 12, 2026
Vendor
The Apache Software Foundation
Product
Apache Tomcat
Classifications
CWE-208, T1212
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 12, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 12, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=10.1.0-M1 <=10.1.54
  2. Affected versionversion=11.0.0-M1 <=11.0.21
  3. Affected versionversion=7.0.0 <=7.0.109
  4. Affected versionversion=8.5.0 <=8.5.100
  5. Affected versionversion=9.0.0.M1 <=9.0.117

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The Apache Software Foundation · Apache Tomcatversion=10.1.0-M1 <=10.1.54; version=11.0.0-M1 <=11.0.21; version=7.0.0 <=7.0.109; version=8.5.0 <=8.5.100; version=9.0.0.M1 <=9.0.117

Published CVSS scores

3.7CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-208Observable Timing Discrepancy
T1212Exploitation for Credential Access

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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