CVE-2018-8037

If an async request was completed by the application at the same time as the container triggered the async timeout, a race condition existed that could result in a user seeing a response intended for a different user. An additional issue was present in the NIO and NIO2 connectors that did not correctly track the closure of the connection when an async request was completed by the application and timed out by the container at the same time. This could also result in a user seeing a response intended for another user. Versions Affected: Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M9 to 9.0.9 and 8.5.5 to 8.5.31.

Multiple concurrent operations access a shared resource without proper synchronization, producing unpredictable results depending on timing. Typical impact: TOCTOU exploits, data corruption, or privilege escalation.

CVE-2018-8037 has a CVSS score of 5.9 (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 (8.5.32, 9.0.10); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.

Kodem intelligence

1. What is CVE-2018-8037? CVE-2018-8037 is a medium-severity race condition vulnerability in org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (maven), affecting versions >= 8.5.5, < 8.5.32. It is fixed in 8.5.32, 9.0.10. Multiple concurrent operations access a shared resource without proper synchronization, producing unpredictable results depending on timing.
2. How severe is CVE-2018-8037? CVE-2018-8037 has a CVSS score of 5.9 (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.embed:tomcat-embed-core are affected by CVE-2018-8037? org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core (maven) versions >= 8.5.5, < 8.5.32 is affected.
4. Is there a fix for CVE-2018-8037? Yes. CVE-2018-8037 is fixed in 8.5.32, 9.0.10. Upgrade to this version or later.
5. Is CVE-2018-8037 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2018-8037 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-2018-8037 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-2018-8037?
   • Upgrade org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core to 8.5.32 or later
   • Upgrade org.apache.tomcat.embed:tomcat-embed-core to 9.0.10 or later