Summary
When using the RemoteIpFilter with requests received from a reverse proxy via HTTP that include the X-Forwarded-Proto header set to https, session cookies created by Apache Tomcat 11.0.0-M1 to 11.0.0.-M2, 10.1.0-M1 to 10.1.5, 9.0.0-M1 to 9.0.71 and 8.5.0 to 8.5.85 did not include the secure attribute. This could result in the user agent transmitting the session cookie over an insecure channel.
Impact
CVE-2023-28708 has a CVSS score of 4.3 (Medium). The vector is network-reachable, no privileges required, and user interaction required. 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 (11.0.0-M3, 10.1.6, 9.0.72, 8.5.86); upgrading removes the vulnerable code path.
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-catalina to 11.0.0-M3 or later; org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina to 10.1.6 or later; org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina to 9.0.72 or later; org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina to 8.5.86 or later
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-28708? CVE-2023-28708 is a medium-severity security vulnerability in org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina (maven), affecting versions >= 11.0.0-M1, < 11.0.0-M3. It is fixed in 11.0.0-M3, 10.1.6, 9.0.72, 8.5.86.
- How severe is CVE-2023-28708? CVE-2023-28708 has a CVSS score of 4.3 (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.
- Which versions of org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina are affected by CVE-2023-28708? org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalina (maven) versions >= 11.0.0-M1, < 11.0.0-M3 is affected.
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-28708? Yes. CVE-2023-28708 is fixed in 11.0.0-M3, 10.1.6, 9.0.72, 8.5.86. Upgrade to this version or later.
- Is CVE-2023-28708 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-28708 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-2023-28708 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-2023-28708?
- Upgrade
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalinato 11.0.0-M3 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalinato 10.1.6 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalinato 9.0.72 or later - Upgrade
org.apache.tomcat:tomcat-catalinato 8.5.86 or later
- Upgrade