Summary
org/apache/catalina/realm/RealmBase.java in Apache Tomcat 6.x before 6.0.36 and 7.x before 7.0.30, when FORM authentication is used, allows remote attackers to bypass security-constraint checks by leveraging a previous setUserPrincipal call and then placing /j_security_check at the end of a URI.
Impact
The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access. Typical impact: unauthorized access to functions or data reserved for authenticated parties.
Affected versions
Security releases
Kodem intelligence
Severity tells you how bad this could be in the worst case. It does not tell you whether you are exposed. Exploitability and impact are functions of runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A vulnerable package can sit in your dependency tree and never run.
Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter. Kodem's runtime-powered SCA identifies whether this CVE is reachable in your applications.
Remediation advice
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to 6.0.36 or later; org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to 7.0.30 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2012-3546? CVE-2012-3546 is a medium-severity improper authentication vulnerability in org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (maven), affecting versions >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.36. It is fixed in 6.0.36, 7.0.30. The application does not adequately verify the identity of a user, device, or process before granting access.
- Which versions of org.apache.tomcat:tomcat are affected by CVE-2012-3546? org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (maven) versions >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.36 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2012-3546? Yes. CVE-2012-3546 is fixed in 6.0.36, 7.0.30. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2012-3546 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2012-3546 is exploitable in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable. A CVSS score is a worst-case rating; it does not account for your specific deployment, configuration, or usage patterns. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to show which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so you can focus on the ones that represent real risk. Get a demo
- What actually determines whether CVE-2012-3546 is exploitable, and how bad it is? Exploitability and impact are not fixed properties of a CVE. They depend on runtime truth: whether the vulnerable code is present, reachable, and actually executes in your application. A high CVSS score on a dependency that never runs is not the same as real risk. Kodem, an Intelligent Application Security platform, uses runtime intelligence to reveal which vulnerabilities actually execute in production, so teams prioritize the ones that genuinely matter.
- How do I fix CVE-2012-3546?
- Upgrade
org.apache.tomcat:tomcatto 6.0.36 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.tomcat:tomcatto 7.0.30 or later
- Upgrade