A newly disclosed vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, tracked as CVE-2025-23181, allows unprivileged command execution with a CVSS score of 8.0 (High). The vulnerability, classified under CWE-250 (Execution with Unnecessary Privileges), was published on April 29, 2025, and affects multiple Tomcat versions. This follows recent critical vulnerabilities in Tomcat, including CVE-2025-24813, which demonstrated similar exploitation patterns.
Executive Summary for Security Leadership
The CVE-2025-23181 vulnerability enables attackers to execute commands with elevated privileges in Apache Tomcat environments. While less severe than the recent CVE-2025-24813 (CVSS 9.8), it still poses significant risk to organizations using affected Tomcat versions. Immediate patching is recommended, particularly for internet-facing systems.
- Vulnerability Type: Privilege escalation via improper permission handling
- Affected Versions: Tomcat 11.x, 10.x, 9.x, and 8.5.x (specific versions pending confirmation)
- Exploitation Prerequisites: Requires initial access to the Tomcat instance
- Mitigation: Apply patches when available; restrict Tomcat process privileges
Technical Analysis
The vulnerability stems from improper handling of permissions during command execution in Tomcat’s management interfaces. While full technical details are not yet public, the CWE classification suggests it involves scenarios where Tomcat executes commands with higher privileges than necessary. This differs from CVE-2025-24813, which was an unauthenticated RCE via PUT requests.
Based on historical Tomcat vulnerabilities and the CWE classification, potential attack vectors might include:
| Component | Potential Impact |
|---|---|
| JMX Interface | Privileged command execution via exposed management endpoints |
| Servlet Containers | Elevation via improperly secured application deployments |
| Manager Application | Command execution through web management console |
Mitigation and Response
While waiting for official patches from the Apache Tomcat project, organizations should implement these security measures:
- Run Tomcat with minimal necessary privileges (non-root where possible)
- Restrict network access to management interfaces
- Monitor for unusual process execution patterns
- Review and harden Tomcat security configurations
Security teams should monitor the Apache Tomcat security page for updates. Previous vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-24813 had patches available within weeks of disclosure.
Detection and Monitoring
Organizations should implement the following detection strategies:
# Sample log monitoring rule for suspicious Tomcat activity
alert http $HOME_NET any -> $EXTERNAL_NET any (
msg:"Potential Tomcat Exploit Attempt";
flow:to_server,established;
content:"/manager/"; nocase;
content:"exec"; nocase;
classtype:web-application-attack;
sid:1000001;
rev:1;
)Security operations teams should also monitor for unexpected child processes spawned by the Tomcat Java process, particularly those executing system commands or scripts.
Conclusion
CVE-2025-23181 represents another significant vulnerability in the widely used Apache Tomcat server. While not as immediately dangerous as recent RCE vulnerabilities, privilege escalation flaws can significantly impact security postures. Organizations should prioritize patching when updates become available and implement defensive measures in the interim.
The continued discovery of vulnerabilities in Tomcat underscores the importance of maintaining robust patch management processes for middleware components. Security teams should consider Tomcat instances as high-value targets for both attackers and defenders.
