CVE-2016-6794

When a SecurityManager is configured, a web application's ability to read system properties should be controlled by the SecurityManager. In Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M9, 8.5.0 to 8.5.4, 8.0.0.RC1 to 8.0.36, 7.0.0 to 7.0.70, 6.0.0 to 6.0.45 the system property replacement feature for configuration files could be used by a malicious web application to bypass the SecurityManager and read system properties that should not be visible.

CVE-2016-6794 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and no user interaction. A CVSS score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether this affects your application depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable in your environment. A fixed version is available (6.0.47, 7.0.72, 8.0.37, 8.5.5, 9.0.0.M10); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2016-6794? CVE-2016-6794 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (maven), affecting versions >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.47. It is fixed in 6.0.47, 7.0.72, 8.0.37, 8.5.5, 9.0.0.M10.
2. How severe is CVE-2016-6794? CVE-2016-6794 has a CVSS score of 5.3 (Medium). This score reflects the worst-case severity of the vulnerability, not your specific exposure. Whether it represents real risk in your environment depends on whether the vulnerable code is present and reachable.
3. Which versions of org.apache.tomcat:tomcat are affected by CVE-2016-6794? org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (maven) versions >= 6.0.0, < 6.0.47 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2016-6794? Yes. CVE-2016-6794 is fixed in 6.0.47, 7.0.72, 8.0.37, 8.5.5, 9.0.0.M10. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2016-6794 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2016-6794 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
6. What actually determines whether CVE-2016-6794 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.
7. How do I fix CVE-2016-6794?
   • Upgrade org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to 6.0.47 or later
   • Upgrade org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to 7.0.72 or later
   • Upgrade org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to 8.0.37 or later
   • Upgrade org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to 8.5.5 or later
   • Upgrade org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to 9.0.0.M10 or later

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