Skip to content
Fencer Intel
medium 4.3

CVE-2012-3546 json

Authentication Bypass in Apache Tomcat

published 2012-12-19 13 y ago modified 2026-06-16 4 mo ago also GHSA-jgm2-m5cg-f66g , EUVD-2022-4361

cvss
4.3
version 2.0, NVD
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
12.0%
EPSS 12.0% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 96%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

org/apache/catalina/realm/RealmBase.java in Apache Tomcat 6.x before 6.0.36 and 7.x before 7.0.30, when FORM authentication is used, allows remote attackers to bypass security-constraint checks by leveraging a previous setUserPrincipal call and then placing /j_security_check at the end of a URI.

Patch / fix

  • maven org.apache.tomcat:tomcat 6.0.36, 7.0.30
  • rhq jboss enterprise web platform 5, jboss enterprise application platform 5 3.0.0-22.EmbJopr5.ep5.el4
  • bsh2 jboss enterprise web platform 5, jboss enterprise application platform 5 2.0-0.b4.15.1.patch01.ep5.el4
  • wss4j jboss enterprise web platform 5, jboss enterprise application platform 5 1.5.12-4.2_patch_02.ep5.el4
  • jbossts jboss enterprise web platform 5, jboss enterprise application platform 5 1:4.6.1-12.CP13.8.ep5.el4
  • jbossws jboss enterprise web platform 5, jboss enterprise application platform 5 3.1.2-13.SP15_patch_01.ep5.el4
  • jgroups jboss enterprise web platform 5, jboss enterprise application platform 5 1:2.6.22-1.ep5.el4
  • spring2 jboss enterprise web platform 5, jboss enterprise application platform 5 2.5.6-9.SEC03.1.ep5.el4
  • bsh2-bsf jboss enterprise web platform 5, jboss enterprise application platform 5 2.0-0.b4.15.1.patch01.ep5.el4

red hat advisories RHSA-2013:0197RHSA-2013:0196RHSA-2013:0195RHSA-2013:0193RHSA-2013:0192RHSA-2013:0191

Vendor advisories

What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.

red hat product security vex CVE-2012-3546 updated cvss 5.5

Web: Bypass of security constraints

  • Red Hat JBoss BRMS 5 jbossweb jbossweb Red Hat JBoss Portal 4 jbossweb jbossweb Red Hat JBoss Portal 5 jbossweb jbossweb Red Hat JBoss SOA Platform 4 jbossweb jbossweb Red Hat JBoss SOA Platform 5 jbossweb jbossweb
    affected: no fix available
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise BRMS Platform 5.3
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0221
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) tomcat5 5.5.23-0jpp.38.el5_9, tomcat5-jasper 5.5.23-0jpp.38.el5_9, tomcat5-webapps 5.5.23-0jpp.38.el5_9, tomcat5-common-lib 5.5.23-0jpp.38.el5_9, tomcat5-server-lib 5.5.23-0jpp.38.el5_9, tomcat5-jsp-2.0-api 5.5.23-0jpp.38.el5_9, +5 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0640
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) tomcat6 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-lib 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-javadoc 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-webapps 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-el-2.1-api 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-docs-webapp 6.0.24-52.el6_4, +3 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) tomcat6 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-lib 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-javadoc 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-webapps 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-el-2.1-api 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-docs-webapp 6.0.24-52.el6_4, +3 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) tomcat6 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-lib 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-el-2.1-api 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-jsp-2.1-api 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-servlet-2.5-api 6.0.24-52.el6_4 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) tomcat6 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-javadoc 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-webapps 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-docs-webapp 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-admin-webapps 6.0.24-52.el6_4 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) tomcat6 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-lib 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-el-2.1-api 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-jsp-2.1-api 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-servlet-2.5-api 6.0.24-52.el6_4 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) tomcat6 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-javadoc 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-webapps 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-docs-webapp 6.0.24-52.el6_4, tomcat6-admin-webapps 6.0.24-52.el6_4
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0623
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 4.3
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0146
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 4.3.0 for RHEL 4 AS jbossas 4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.1.ep1.el4, jbossas-client 4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.1.ep1.el4 Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 4.3.0 for RHEL 4 ES jbossas 4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.1.ep1.el4, jbossas-client 4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.1.ep1.el4 Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 4.3.0 for RHEL 5 Server jbossas 4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.2.ep1.el5, jbossas-client 4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.2.ep1.el5
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0147
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 5 for RHEL 5 Server netty 3.2.5-6.ep5.el5, jbossas 5.2.0-14.ep5.el5, jgroups 2.6.22-1.ep5.el5, google-guice 2.0-3.ep5.el5, jboss-cl 2.0.11-1.GA.ep5.el5, jboss-javaee 5.0.2-2.ep5.el5, +142 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0192
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 5 for RHEL 6 Server netty 3.2.5-6.ep5.el6, jbossas 5.2.0-16.ep5.el6, jgroups 2.6.22-1.ep5.el6, google-guice 2.0-3.ep5.el6, aopalliance 1.0-5.3.ep5.el6, jboss-cl 2.0.11-4.GA.ep5.el6, +143 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0191
show 15 more
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 5.2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0194
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 6 for RHEL 5 Server jbossweb 7.0.17-3.Final_redhat_2.ep6.el5, jbossweb-lib 7.0.17-3.Final_redhat_2.ep6.el5 Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 6 for RHEL 6 Server jbossweb 7.0.17-3.Final_redhat_2.ep6.el6, jbossweb-lib 7.0.17-3.Final_redhat_2.ep6.el6
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0164
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 6.0
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0163
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Web Server 1 for RHEL 5 Server tomcat5 5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5, tomcat6 6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5, tomcat6-lib 6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5, tomcat6-log4j 6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5, tomcat5-jasper 5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5, tomcat5-parent 5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5, +17 more Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Web Server 1 for RHEL 6 Server tomcat5 5.5.33-34_patch_08.ep5.el6, tomcat6 6.0.32-31_patch_08.ep5.el6, tomcat6-lib 6.0.32-31_patch_08.ep5.el6, tomcat6-log4j 6.0.32-31_patch_08.ep5.el6, tomcat5-jasper 5.5.33-34_patch_08.ep5.el6, tomcat5-parent 5.5.33-34_patch_08.ep5.el6, +17 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0641
  • Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Web Server 2 for RHEL 5 Server tomcat6 6.0.35-6_patch_02.ep6.el5, tomcat6-lib 6.0.35-6_patch_02.ep6.el5, tomcat6-log4j 6.0.35-6_patch_02.ep6.el5, tomcat6-javadoc 6.0.35-6_patch_02.ep6.el5, tomcat6-webapps 6.0.35-6_patch_02.ep6.el5, tomcat6-el-1.0-api 6.0.35-6_patch_02.ep6.el5, +4 more Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Web Server 2 for RHEL 6 Server tomcat6 6.0.35-25_patch_01.ep6.el6, tomcat6-lib 6.0.35-25_patch_01.ep6.el6, tomcat6-log4j 6.0.35-25_patch_01.ep6.el6, tomcat6-javadoc 6.0.35-25_patch_01.ep6.el6, tomcat6-webapps 6.0.35-25_patch_01.ep6.el6, tomcat6-el-1.0-api 6.0.35-25_patch_01.ep6.el6, +4 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0005
  • Red Hat JBoss Portal 4.3
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0151
  • Red Hat JBoss Portal 5.2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0235
  • Red Hat JBoss SOA Platform 4.3
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0162
  • Red Hat JBoss SOA Platform 5.3
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0235
  • Red Hat JBoss Web Platform 5 for RHEL 5 Server jgroups 2.6.22-1.ep5.el5, google-guice 2.0-3.ep5.el5, jbossas-web 5.2.0-8.ep5.el5, jboss-cl 2.0.11-1.GA.ep5.el5, jboss-javaee 5.0.2-2.ep5.el5, xml-security 1.5.1-2.ep5.el5, +127 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0196
  • Red Hat JBoss Web Platform 5 for RHEL 6 Server jgroups 2.6.22-1.ep5.el6, google-guice 2.0-3.ep5.el6, aopalliance 1.0-5.3.ep5.el6, jboss-cl 2.0.11-4.GA.ep5.el6, jboss-javaee 5.0.2-2.ep5.el6, jbossas-web 5.2.0-16.ep5.el6, +137 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0195
  • Red Hat JBoss Web Platform 5.2
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0198
  • Red Hat JBoss Web Server 1.0
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0157
  • Red Hat JBoss Web Server 2.0
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2013:0004
  • Red Hat JBoss Data Grid 6 jbossweb jbossweb Red Hat JBoss Enterprise Web Server 2 tomcat7 tomcat7 Red Hat JBoss Operations Network 3 jbossweb jbossweb
    not affected: vulnerable code not present

Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf

Exploit prediction

11.97% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 96% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-09).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
NVD 2.0 4.3 AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N

Affected packages

ecosystem package affected fixed in
maven org.apache.tomcat:tomcat
>=6.0.0, <6.0.36
>=7.0.0, <7.0.30
6.0.36
7.0.30

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-264 Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls
  • CWE-287 Improper Authentication

References

Sources

Fencer Intel keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.