CVE-2019-0233: Struts2 core Improper Preservation Of Permissions Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-ccp5-gg58-pxfm
Share
CVSS 7.5
CWE-281
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2019-0233 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) improper preservation of permissions vulnerability (CWE-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions) affecting Struts2 core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves improper preservation of permissions in apache struts. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 2.5.22.

CVE-2019-0233 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2019-0233
GHSA Identifier GHSA-ccp5-gg58-pxfm
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions
Affected Product Struts2 core
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2019-0233

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: 2.5.22 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.struts</groupId>
    <artifactId>struts2-core</artifactId>
    <version>2.5.22</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-2019-0233, 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 2.5.22), 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-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions, where the product does not preserve permissions or incorrectly preserves permissions when copying, restoring, or sharing objects, which can cause them to have less restrictive permissions than intended. 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

An access permission override in Apache Struts 2.0.0 to 2.5.20 may cause a Denial of Service when performing a file upload.

CVE-2019-0233 Affected Struts2 core Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
2.5.22
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.struts:struts2-core
maven/org.apache.struts/struts2-core
Maven
≥ 2.0.0
< 2.5.22
2.5.22

References

NVD — CVE-2019-0233 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-0233
cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/... WEB
https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/ww/s2-060
launchpad.support.sap.com/ WEB
https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2982840
Struts2 core Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuApr2021.html
Struts2 core Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2021.html
Struts2 core Security Information SECURITY
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-0233?
CVE-2019-0233 is a security vulnerability in Struts2 core involving Improper Preservation of Permissions in Apache Struts under CWE-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions.
Which Struts2 core versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 2.5.22 across affected packages: org.apache.struts:struts2-core.
What version fixes CVE-2019-0233?
Upgrading to 2.5.22 (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 2.5.22. Upgrade your dependency to 2.5.22 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2019-0233?
CVE-2019-0233 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2019-0233?
CVE-2019-0233 is classified under CWE-281: Improper Preservation of Permissions (The product does not preserve permissions or incorrectly preserves permissions when copying, restoring, or sharing objects, which can cause them to have less restrictive permissions than intended.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2019-0233?
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-ccp5-gg58-pxfm",
  "modified" : "2022-06-29T15:44:03Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-24T17:28:11Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2019-0233" ],
  "summary" : "Improper Preservation of Permissions in Apache Struts",
  "details" : "An access permission override in Apache Struts 2.0.0 to 2.5.20 may cause a Denial of Service when performing a file upload.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.struts:struts2-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "2.5.22"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-0233"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/ww/s2-060"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://launchpad.support.sap.com/#/notes/2982840"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuApr2021.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2021.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuoct2021.html"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-281" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2022-06-29T15:44:03Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2020-09-14T17:15:00Z"
  }
}