Threats / Apache / CVE-2017-12615
CVE-2017-12615
· EUVD no mirror located
· GCVE no mirror located
Verified 2026-06-22
Apache Tomcat vulnerability
Apache Tomcat on Windows with HTTP PUTs enabled allows remote code execution through JSP file upload via specially crafted requests.
Verdict
Today item, not a backlog item.
An unauthenticated attacker can upload malicious JSP files to a vulnerable Tomcat server and execute arbitrary code with server privileges. This vulnerability has been actively exploited in ransomware campaigns.
CISA KEV Yes · 2022-03-253Ransomware use Flagged3EPSS 0.99607 (verify live)4Exploit Weaponized · public PoC5
01
Is it exploitable?
— the evidence, ranked above the scoreExploit available
Fully weaponized — public exploit code is cataloged for this vulnerability.We link the existence of the exploit; we do not host or redistribute payloads.
Reported exploitation
171 independent public reports of in-the-wild exploitation are cataloged.Distinct reporting sources (vendor, incident response, government); open them for the underlying claims.
Exploited in the wild
Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2022-03-25), flagged for known ransomware use.
Probability (EPSS)
EPSS 0.99607 — modeled likelihood of exploitation activity.EPSS is a daily-changing model output — open the source for today's value.
Severity / affected
Affected: Apache, Tomcat. Confirm exact fixed builds in the vendor advisory.
Weakness (CWE)
Mapped to CWE-434 Unrestricted File Upload — weakness family: Path traversal / file.CWE assignment from the public NVD record; the weakness class drives how the flaw is exploited.
02
Who’s exploiting it?
— attribution turns risk into urgencyAttribution not established
No confirmed (advisory-backed) threat-actor attribution is established for this record. Absence of a named actor is not absence of compromise — see Coverage & confidence.
03
Why it matters
— the attack path, told twice: adversary, then board1
Front door — unauthenticated access narrative 1
Attacker
I craft an HTTP PUT request targeting a JSP file path on the Tomcat server.
Business
The organization's web server becomes a direct attack vector for code execution.
2
Keys to the kingdom — privilege/identity takeover narrative 2
Attacker
I upload a malicious JSP file that executes when accessed by any subsequent HTTP request.
Business
Attackers gain persistent remote code execution capability within the application environment.
3
Lateral reach — past segmentation narrative 3
Attacker
I request the uploaded JSP to trigger execution of embedded malicious code on the server.
Business
Ransomware or other payloads deploy across systems, leading to data encryption, exfiltration, or operational disruption.
04
What to do
— defensible action- Remediate per the vendor advisory — confirm the fixed build for your version and verify exposure.1
Say it to the boardA vulnerability with this evidence profile is a defensible budget line, not a backlog ticket — fund the change against the proof above.
05