HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2016-4461
HIGH

CVE-2016-4461

CWE-20Published: October 16, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

8.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Apache Struts 2.x before 2.3.29 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a "%{}" sequence in a tag attribute, aka forced double OGNL evaluation. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2016-0785.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2016-4461 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 8.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorNetwork
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

Apache1 product(s)
struts
netapp1 product(s)
oncommand balance
Source: NVD CPE · 2 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91277
ADVISORYhttps://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20180629-0004/
ADVISORYhttps://struts.apache.org/docs/s2-036.html
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91277
ADVISORYhttps://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20180629-0004/
ADVISORYhttps://struts.apache.org/docs/s2-036.html

All References (6)

→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91277Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20180629-0004/Third Party Advisory
→
https://struts.apache.org/docs/s2-036.htmlMitigation · Vendor Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91277Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20180629-0004/Third Party Advisory
→
https://struts.apache.org/docs/s2-036.htmlMitigation · Vendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2016-4461
CVSS Score8.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-20
CISA KEVNo
Affected2 vendor(s)
PublishedOct 16, 2017

Related CVEs (CWE-20)

CVE-2007-5657
10.0
CVE-2007-5658
10.0
CVE-2007-4561
10.0
CVE-2007-4221
10.0
CVE-2007-4218
10.0
CVE-2008-0656
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2016-4461 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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