CVE-2020-8022: Apache Tomcat Incorrect Default Permissions Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-gc58-v8h3-x2gr
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CVSS 7.8
CWE-276
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2020-8022 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.8) incorrect default permissions vulnerability (CWE-276: Incorrect Default Permissions) affecting Apache Tomcat libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves incorrect default permissions in apache tomcat. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 8.0.53, 9.0.35.

CVE-2020-8022 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2020-8022
GHSA Identifier GHSA-gc58-v8h3-x2gr
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.8
CWE Classification CWE-276: Incorrect Default Permissions
Affected Product Apache Tomcat
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.8

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2020-8022

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: 8.0.53 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat</artifactId>
    <version>8.0.53</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat fixed: 9.0.35 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.tomcat</groupId>
    <artifactId>tomcat</artifactId>
    <version>9.0.35</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-2020-8022, 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 8.0.53), 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-276: Incorrect Default Permissions, where during installation, installed file permissions are set to allow anyone to modify those files. 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

### Withdrawn As per https://lists.apache.org/thread/0z644xfjo49pn2oxcp9qslkvhhw4tb7q this issue only affects the SUSE built artifacts of tomcat and is not relevant for the artifacts on maven central. ### Original Advisory A Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability in the packaging of tomcat on SUSE Enterprise Storage 5, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2-BCL, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2-LTSS, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP3-BCL, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP3-LTSS, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP4, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP5, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 12-SP2, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 12-SP3, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 15, SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7, SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8, SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 allows local attackers to escalate from group tomcat to root. This issue affects: SUSE Enterprise Storage 5 tomcat versions prior to 80.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2-BCL tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2-LTSS tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP3-BCL tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP3-LTSS tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP4 tomcat versions prior to 9.0.35-3.39.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP5 tomcat versions prior to 9.0.35-3.39.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS tomcat versions prior to 9.0.35-3.57.3. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 12-SP2 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 12-SP3 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 15 tomcat versions prior to 9.0.35-3.57.3. SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1.

CVE-2020-8022 Affected Apache Tomcat Versions

2 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
8.0.539.0.35
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat
maven/org.apache.tomcat/tomcat
Maven
< 8.0.53
8.0.53
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat
maven/org.apache.tomcat/tomcat
Maven
≥ 9.0.0
< 9.0.35
9.0.35

References

NVD — CVE-2020-8022 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8022
bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1172405
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r393d4f... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r393d4f431683e99c839b4aed68f720b8583bca6c35cd84adccaa02be@%3Cjava-dev.axis.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r5be80b... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r5be80ba868a11a1f64e4922399f171b8619bca4bc2039f79cf913928@%3Cjava-dev.axis.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/ra87ec2... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ra87ec20a0f4b226c81c7eed27e5d7433ccdc41e61a8da408a45f0fa1@%3Cusers.tomcat.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf50d02... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf50d02409e5732c4ee37f19a193af171251a25a652599ce3c2bc69e7@%3Cusers.tomcat.apache.org%3E
Apache Tomcat Security Information SECURITY
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-06/msg00066.html

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-8022?
CVE-2020-8022 is a security vulnerability in Apache Tomcat involving Incorrect Default Permissions in Apache Tomcat under CWE-276: Incorrect Default Permissions.
Which Apache Tomcat versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 8.0.53, 9.0.35 across affected packages: org.apache.tomcat:tomcat.
What version fixes CVE-2020-8022?
Upgrading to 8.0.53, 9.0.35 (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 8.0.53, 9.0.35. Upgrade your dependency to 8.0.53, 9.0.35 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-8022?
CVE-2020-8022 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2020-8022?
CVE-2020-8022 is classified under CWE-276: Incorrect Default Permissions (During installation, installed file permissions are set to allow anyone to modify those files.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2020-8022?
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-gc58-v8h3-x2gr",
  "modified" : "2024-07-10T17:24:43Z",
  "published" : "2022-02-09T23:01:49Z",
  "withdrawn" : "2024-07-10T17:24:42Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2020-8022" ],
  "summary" : "Incorrect Default Permissions in Apache Tomcat",
  "details" : "### Withdrawn\nAs per https://lists.apache.org/thread/0z644xfjo49pn2oxcp9qslkvhhw4tb7q this issue only affects the SUSE built artifacts of tomcat and is not relevant for the artifacts on maven central.\n\n### Original Advisory\nA Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability in the packaging of tomcat on SUSE Enterprise Storage 5, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2-BCL, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2-LTSS, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP3-BCL, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP3-LTSS, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP4, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP5, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 12-SP2, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 12-SP3, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 15, SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7, SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8, SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 allows local attackers to escalate from group tomcat to root. This issue affects: SUSE Enterprise Storage 5 tomcat versions prior to 80.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2-BCL tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP2-LTSS tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP3-BCL tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP3-LTSS tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP4 tomcat versions prior to 9.0.35-3.39.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12-SP5 tomcat versions prior to 9.0.35-3.39.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS tomcat versions prior to 9.0.35-3.57.3. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 12-SP2 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 12-SP3 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 15 tomcat versions prior to 9.0.35-3.57.3. SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE OpenStack Cloud 8 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1. SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 tomcat versions prior to 8.0.53-29.32.1.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.tomcat:tomcat"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "8.0.53"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.tomcat:tomcat"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "9.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "9.0.35"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8022"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1172405"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r393d4f431683e99c839b4aed68f720b8583bca6c35cd84adccaa02be@%3Cjava-dev.axis.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r5be80ba868a11a1f64e4922399f171b8619bca4bc2039f79cf913928@%3Cjava-dev.axis.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/ra87ec20a0f4b226c81c7eed27e5d7433ccdc41e61a8da408a45f0fa1@%3Cusers.tomcat.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf50d02409e5732c4ee37f19a193af171251a25a652599ce3c2bc69e7@%3Cusers.tomcat.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-06/msg00066.html"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-276" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2021-04-12T19:23:48Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2020-06-29T09:15:00Z"
  }
}