CVE-2025-31651: Apache Tomcat Apache Tomcat Rewrite Rule Bypass Vulnerability

LOW
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-ff77-26x5-69cr
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CWE-116 CWE-150
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-31651 is a LOW apache tomcat rewrite rule bypass vulnerability (CWE-116: Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output) affecting Apache Tomcat libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves apache tomcat rewrite rule bypass. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 9.0.104, 10.1.40, 11.0.6.

CVE-2025-31651 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-31651
GHSA Identifier GHSA-ff77-26x5-69cr
Severity LOW
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-116: Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output
Affected Product Apache Tomcat
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2025-31651

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Apache Tomcat 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.tomcat:tomcat-catalina fixed: 9.0.104 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat-catalina</artifactId>
    <version>9.0.104</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina fixed: 10.1.40 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat-catalina</artifactId>
    <version>10.1.40</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina fixed: 11.0.6 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat-catalina</artifactId>
    <version>11.0.6</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core fixed: 9.0.104 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat.embed</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat-embed-core</artifactId>
    <version>9.0.104</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core fixed: 10.1.40 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat.embed</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat-embed-core</artifactId>
    <version>10.1.40</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core fixed: 11.0.6 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat.embed</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat-embed-core</artifactId>
    <version>11.0.6</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina fixed: Latest secure release 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat-catalina</artifactId>
    <version>Latest secure release</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core fixed: Latest secure release 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat.embed</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat-embed-core</artifactId>
    <version>Latest secure release</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.tomcat

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2025-31651, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

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

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Apache Tomcat in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 9.0.104), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.tomcat 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-116: Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output, where the product prepares a structured message for communication with another component, but encoding or escaping of the data is either missing or done incorrectly. as a result, the intended structure of the message is not preserved. In Apache Tomcat, 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

Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. For a subset of unlikely rewrite rule configurations, it was possible for a specially crafted request to bypass some rewrite rules. If those rewrite rules effectively enforced security constraints, those constraints could be bypassed. This issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.5, from 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.39, from 9.0.0.M1 through 9.0.102. The following versions were EOL at the time the CVE was created but are known to be affected: 8.5.0 though 8.5.100. Other, older, EOL versions may also be affected. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 9.0.104, 10.1.40 or 11.0.6, which fix the issue.

CVE-2025-31651 Affected Apache Tomcat Versions

8 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
9.0.10410.1.4011.0.6
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina
maven/org.apache.tomcat/tomcat-catalina
Maven
≥ 9.0.76
< 9.0.104
9.0.104
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina
maven/org.apache.tomcat/tomcat-catalina
Maven
≥ 10.1.10
< 10.1.40
10.1.40
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina
maven/org.apache.tomcat/tomcat-catalina
Maven
≥ 11.0.0-M2
< 11.0.6
11.0.6
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core
maven/org.apache.tomcat.embed/tomcat-embed-core
Maven
≥ 9.0.76
< 9.0.104
9.0.104
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core
maven/org.apache.tomcat.embed/tomcat-embed-core
Maven
≥ 10.1.10
< 10.1.40
10.1.40
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core
maven/org.apache.tomcat.embed/tomcat-embed-core
Maven
≥ 11.0.0-M2
< 11.0.6
11.0.6
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina
maven/org.apache.tomcat/tomcat-catalina
Maven
≥ 8.5.0
≤ 8.5.100
org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core
maven/org.apache.tomcat.embed/tomcat-embed-core
Maven
≥ 8.5.0
≤ 8.5.100

References

NVD — CVE-2025-31651 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-31651
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/066bf6b6a15a4e7e0941d4acf096841165b97098
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/175dc75fc428930034a6c93fb52f830d955d8e64
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/ee3ab548e92345eca0cbd1f01649eb36c6f29454
Security Fix Commit FIX COMMIT
https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/fbecc915a10c5a3d634c5e2c6ced4ff479ce9953
Apache Tomcat Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/apache/tomcat
lists.apache.org/list.html WEB
https://lists.apache.org/list.html?announce@tomcat.apache.org
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce... WEB
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/07/msg00009.html
Apache Tomcat Security Information SECURITY
https://tomcat.apache.org/security-10.html
Apache Tomcat Security Information SECURITY
https://tomcat.apache.org/security-11.html
Apache Tomcat Security Information SECURITY
https://tomcat.apache.org/security-9.html
Apache Tomcat Security Information SECURITY
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/04/28/3

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-31651?
CVE-2025-31651 is a security vulnerability in Apache Tomcat involving Apache Tomcat Rewrite rule bypass under CWE-116: Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output.
Which Apache Tomcat versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 9.0.104, 10.1.40, 11.0.6 across affected packages: org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina, org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core.
What version fixes CVE-2025-31651?
Upgrading to 9.0.104, 10.1.40, 11.0.6 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is tomcat-catalina affected?
Yes, org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina is affected in releases prior to 9.0.104, 10.1.40, 11.0.6, Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to 9.0.104, 10.1.40, 11.0.6, Latest secure release or later.
Is tomcat-embed-core affected?
Yes, org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core is affected in releases prior to 9.0.104, 10.1.40, 11.0.6, Latest secure release. Upgrade your dependency to 9.0.104, 10.1.40, 11.0.6, Latest secure release or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-31651?
CVE-2025-31651 is classified under CWE-116: Improper Encoding or Escaping of Output (The product prepares a structured message for communication with another component, but encoding or escaping of the data is either missing or done incorrectly. As a result, the intended structure of the message is not preserved.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2025-31651?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.tomcat'. 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-ff77-26x5-69cr",
  "modified" : "2025-11-03T22:56:57Z",
  "published" : "2025-04-28T21:30:43Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-31651" ],
  "summary" : "Apache Tomcat Rewrite rule bypass",
  "details" : "Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences vulnerability in Apache Tomcat. For a subset of unlikely rewrite rule configurations, it was possible for a specially crafted request to bypass some rewrite rules. If those rewrite rules effectively enforced security constraints, those constraints could be bypassed.\n\nThis issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.5, from 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.39, from 9.0.0.M1 through 9.0.102. The following versions were EOL at the time the CVE was created but are known to be affected: 8.5.0 though 8.5.100. Other, older, EOL versions may also be affected.\n\nUsers are recommended to upgrade to version 9.0.104, 10.1.40 or 11.0.6, which fix the issue.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V4",
    "score" : "CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
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    },
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  }, {
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    },
    "ranges" : [ {
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      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "8.5.0"
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      } ]
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  }, {
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    },
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        "introduced" : "8.5.0"
      }, {
        "last_affected" : "8.5.100"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-31651"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/apache/tomcat/commit/066bf6b6a15a4e7e0941d4acf096841165b97098"
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  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
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    "severity" : "LOW",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-04-29T15:03:25Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-04-28T20:15:20Z"
  }
}