CVE-2003-0045: Apache Tomcat Denial of Service Vulnerability

MODERATE
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-w97x-xfxf-f9xj
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CWE-400
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2003-0045 is a MODERATE denial of service vulnerability (CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption) affecting Apache Tomcat libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves jakarta tomcat denial of service vulnerability. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.3.1a.

CVE-2003-0045 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2003-0045
GHSA Identifier GHSA-w97x-xfxf-f9xj
Severity MODERATE
CVSS v3.1 Base Score N/A
CWE Classification CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
Affected Product Apache Tomcat
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

How to Fix CVE-2003-0045

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 fixed: 3.3.1a 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat</artifactId>
    <version>3.3.1a</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-2003-0045, 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 3.3.1a), 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-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption, where the product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource. 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

Jakarta Tomcat before 3.3.1a on certain Windows systems may allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (thread hang and resource consumption) via a request for a JSP page containing an MS-DOS device name, such as aux.jsp.

CVE-2003-0045 Affected Apache Tomcat Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.3.1a
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat
maven/org.apache.tomcat/tomcat
Maven
< 3.3.1a
3.3.1a

References

NVD — CVE-2003-0045 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2003-0045
exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/121... WEB
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/12102
jakarta.apache.org/builds/jakarta-tomc... WEB
http://jakarta.apache.org/builds/jakarta-tomcat/release/v3.3.1a/RELEASE-NOTES-3.3.1a.txt

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2003-0045?
CVE-2003-0045 is a security vulnerability in Apache Tomcat involving Jakarta Tomcat Denial of Service vulnerability under CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption.
Which Apache Tomcat versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.3.1a across affected packages: org.apache.tomcat:tomcat.
What version fixes CVE-2003-0045?
Upgrading to 3.3.1a (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is tomcat affected?
Yes, org.apache.tomcat:tomcat is affected in releases prior to 3.3.1a. Upgrade your dependency to 3.3.1a or later.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2003-0045?
CVE-2003-0045 is classified under CWE-400: Uncontrolled Resource Consumption (The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2003-0045?
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-w97x-xfxf-f9xj",
  "modified" : "2023-09-18T22:43:28Z",
  "published" : "2022-04-29T01:25:43Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2003-0045" ],
  "summary" : "Jakarta Tomcat Denial of Service vulnerability",
  "details" : "Jakarta Tomcat before 3.3.1a on certain Windows systems may allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (thread hang and resource consumption) via a request for a JSP page containing an MS-DOS device name, such as aux.jsp.",
  "severity" : [ ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.tomcat:tomcat"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.3.1a"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2003-0045"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/12102"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://jakarta.apache.org/builds/jakarta-tomcat/release/v3.3.1a/RELEASE-NOTES-3.3.1a.txt"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-400" ],
    "severity" : "MODERATE",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-09-18T22:43:28Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2003-02-07T05:00:00Z"
  }
}