CVE-2011-1772: Struts2 core Cross-Site Scripting Vulnerability

LOW
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-56f8-g68r-j699
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CWE-79
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2011-1772 is a LOW cross-site scripting vulnerability (CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')) affecting Struts2 core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves cross-site scripting in apache struts. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.2.3.

CVE-2011-1772 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2011-1772
GHSA Identifier GHSA-56f8-g68r-j699
Severity LOW
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
Affected Product Struts2 core
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2011-1772

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Struts2 core dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.apache.struts:struts2-core fixed: 2.2.3 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.struts</groupId>
    <artifactId>struts2-core</artifactId>
    <version>2.2.3</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.struts

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2011-1772, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.struts

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Struts2 core in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 2.2.3), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.struts command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting'), where the product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users. In Struts2 core, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

Multiple Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in XWork generated error pages in Apache Struts. By default, XWork doesn't escape action's names in automatically generated error page, allowing for a successful XSS attack. When Dynamic Method Invocation (DMI) is enabled, the action name is generated dynamically base on request parameters. This allows to call non-existing page and method to produce error page with injected code as below. As of Struts 2.2.3 the action names are escaped when automatically generated error pages are rendered.

CVE-2011-1772 Affected Struts2 core Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.2.3
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.struts:struts2-core
maven/org.apache.struts/struts2-core
Maven
< 2.2.3
2.2.3

References

NVD — CVE-2011-1772 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-1772
Struts2 core Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/struts
issues.apache.org/jira/browse/ww-3579 WEB
https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/WW-3579
jvn.jp/en/jp/jvn25435092/i... WEB
http://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN25435092/index.html
jvndb.jvn.jp/jvndb/jvndb-2011-00... WEB
http://jvndb.jvn.jp/jvndb/JVNDB-2011-000106
secureappdev.blogspot.com/2011/05/apache-stru... WEB
http://secureappdev.blogspot.com/2011/05/apache-struts-2-xwork-webwork-reflected.html
struts.apache.org/2.2.3/docs/version-... WEB
http://struts.apache.org/2.2.3/docs/version-notes-223.html
struts.apache.org/2.x/docs/s2-006.htm... WEB
http://struts.apache.org/2.x/docs/s2-006.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2011-1772?
CVE-2011-1772 is a security vulnerability in Struts2 core involving Cross-site Scripting in Apache Struts under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting').
Which Struts2 core versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.2.3 across affected packages: org.apache.struts:struts2-core.
What version fixes CVE-2011-1772?
Upgrading to 2.2.3 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is struts2-core affected?
Yes, org.apache.struts:struts2-core is affected in releases prior to 2.2.3. Upgrade your dependency to 2.2.3 or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2011-1772?
CVE-2011-1772 is classified under CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting') (The product does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes user-controllable input before it is placed in output that is used as a web page that is served to other users.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2011-1772?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.struts'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-56f8-g68r-j699",
  "modified" : "2022-11-03T23:10:43Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-17T05:35:28Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2011-1772" ],
  "summary" : "Cross-site Scripting in Apache Struts",
  "details" : "Multiple Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) in XWork generated error pages in Apache Struts. By default, XWork doesn't escape action's names in automatically generated error page, allowing for a successful XSS attack. When Dynamic Method Invocation (DMI) is enabled, the action name is generated dynamically base on request parameters. This allows to call non-existing page and method to produce error page with injected code as below. As of Struts 2.2.3 the action names are escaped when automatically generated error pages are rendered.",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.struts:struts2-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.2.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-1772"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/struts"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/WW-3579"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN25435092/index.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://jvndb.jvn.jp/jvndb/JVNDB-2011-000106"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://secureappdev.blogspot.com/2011/05/apache-struts-2-xwork-webwork-reflected.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://struts.apache.org/2.2.3/docs/version-notes-223.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://struts.apache.org/2.x/docs/s2-006.html"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-79" ],
    "severity" : "LOW",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-11-03T23:10:43Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2011-05-13T17:05:00Z"
  }
}