CVE-2017-12615

When running Apache Tomcat 7.0.0 to 7.0.79 on Windows with HTTP PUTs enabled (e.g. via setting the readonly initialisation parameter of the Default to false) it was possible to upload a JSP file to the server via a specially crafted request. This JSP could then be requested and any code it contained would be executed by the server.

CVSS: 8.1Highscored by CISA
Exploited in the wild: Yes, in CISA KEV since 25 Mar 2022CISA deadline for US federal agencies: 15 Apr 2022known use in ransomware campaignspublic exploit code
EPSS: 99.7%chance of exploitation in the next 30 daystop 0.1% of scored CVEsFIRST score of 11 Nov 2026
Fix: Patch availablesee the advisories in the references
Published: 19 Sept 2017analysed here 12 Nov 2026

Do first. Apply updates per vendor instructions. (CISA's required action for this KEV entry)

Summary

Triage

Attack surface: Server-side
Exploitable: At runtime
Attack vector: network
Weakness: CWE-434 Unrestricted File Upload
Can a WAF block it?: Partly. See why

The summary, impact and action text on this page are written by our AI analysis pipeline, or taken from the NVD description when a CVE was imported from NVD. They are not the vendor's wording: check them against the sources. A longer AI executive summary and technical analysis are generated for signed-in accounts on the Max plan.

Affected products

Product	Affected versions	Vendor says fixed in
Apache Software Foundation Apache Tomcat	7.0.0 to 7.0.79Vendor says fixed in: not stated	Not stated by the vendor

As published in the CVE Program record. A version outside these ranges is not a statement that it is unaffected — vendors sometimes understate a range, and distribution-backported builds carry upstream numbers that do not reflect what was patched into them.

Products named in our analysis

apache:tomcat
netapp:7-mode_transition_tool
netapp:oncommand_balance
netapp:oncommand_shift
redhat:enterprise_linux_server_update_services_for_sap_solutions
redhat:jboss_enterprise_web_server
redhat:jboss_enterprise_web_server_text-only_advisories
redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop
redhat:enterprise_linux_eus
redhat:enterprise_linux_eus_compute_node
redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems
redhat:enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus
redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_big_endian
redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_big_endian_eus
redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian
redhat:enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus
redhat:enterprise_linux_for_scientific_computing
redhat:enterprise_linux_server
redhat:enterprise_linux_server_aus
redhat:enterprise_linux_server_for_power_little_endian_update_services_for_sap_solutions
redhat:enterprise_linux_server_tus
redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation

Fix and mitigation

WAF and other mitigations

Can a WAF block it? Partly. Unrestricted file upload: a WAF can filter file names and extensions, but it cannot judge what the uploaded file will do.

Also consider: MIME sniff · sandbox storage

Based on the weakness type only; no CVE-specific evidence yet. We check Cloudflare, AWS, Google Cloud Armor and Azure; for Akamai, Imperva, Fastly, F5, ask your vendor.

Remediation steps (AI-written)

Step-by-step remediation is generated for accounts on the Max plan, for CVEs that match a technology in their stack. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.

Exploitation evidence

CISA KEV catalog: Listed since 25 Mar 2022. Known use in ransomware campaigns.
CISA due date: 15 Apr 2022, the remediation deadline for US federal agencies
CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Public exploit code: Yes: 1 on Exploit-DB · 19 GitHub proofs of concept · 1 Nuclei template
CISA SSVC: exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact totalAssessed by CISA 11 Mar 2022 (SSVC 2.0.3). Exploitation is none, poc (public proof of concept) or active.

and 15 more repositories

Listed so you can judge urgency, not as a recommendation to run anything. GitHub “proofs of concept” are unvetted: some are fake or carry malware. Exploit-DB marks the entries its staff verified.

Timeline

19 Sept 2017Published
20 Sept 2017First public exploit or proof of conceptsame day later
11 Mar 2022CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active1,633 days (about 4 years) later
25 Mar 2022Added to CISA KEV (exploited in the wild)14 days later
15 Apr 2022CISA remediation due date (US federal agencies)21 days later
6 Aug 2026CVE record last updated1,574 days (about 4 years) later
12 Nov 2026Analysed by vulneraibility.com98 days (about 3 months) later

CVSS vector

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

Metric	Value	What it means
Attack vector	NetworkReachable over the internet or any routable network.	Reachable over the internet or any routable network.
Attack complexity	HighNeeds specific conditions, a race or a particular configuration.	Needs specific conditions, a race or a particular configuration.
Privileges required	NoneThe attacker needs no prior access.	The attacker needs no prior access.
User interaction	NoneNo victim action needed.	No victim action needed.
Scope	UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.	Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality	HighTotal data disclosure possible.	Total data disclosure possible.
Integrity	HighComplete modification possible.	Complete modification possible.
Availability	HighFull outage possible.	Full outage possible.

Common questions

Is CVE-2017-12615 being exploited?

Yes. CVE-2017-12615 appears in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation in the wild has been confirmed and reported. Treat it as active rather than theoretical, and patch it ahead of higher-scoring vulnerabilities that carry no exploitation evidence.

How severe is CVE-2017-12615?

CVE-2017-12615 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.1. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.

Is there a patch for CVE-2017-12615?

Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2017-12615. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.

What does CVE-2017-12615 affect?

CVE-2017-12615 affects apache:tomcat, netapp:7-mode_transition_tool, netapp:oncommand_balance, netapp:oncommand_shift, and 18 further products or versions. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.

Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.

References

NVD CVE.org CVE Details Source

20 references in the CVE record, grouped by the tags the record gives them.

Advisories (6)

access.redhat.com /errata/RHSA-2017:3113
access.redhat.com /errata/RHSA-2017:3080
access.redhat.com /errata/RHSA-2018:0465
access.redhat.com /errata/RHSA-2017:3114
access.redhat.com /errata/RHSA-2018:0466
access.redhat.com /errata/RHSA-2017:3081

Exploits (1)

exploit-db.com /exploits/42953/

Where the data on this page comes from

CVE List (CVE.org): description, affected versions, references; CVE Terms of Use
NVD: CVSS and CPE data
CISA KEV catalog: exploitation, date added, due date
CISA Vulnrichment (ADP): SSVC decision points
FIRST EPSS: exploit probability and percentile
Exploit-DB: published exploits
Nuclei templates: detection templates
PoC-in-GitHub: GitHub repositories that claim a proof of concept

Summary, impact and triage tags: written by our AI analysis pipeline from the sources above. Check them against the sources.

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