Summary
Apache Axis Improper Input Validation vulnerability
** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** Improper Input Validation vulnerability in Apache Axis allowed users with access to the admin service to perform possible SSRF.
This issue affects Apache Axis through 1.3.
As Axis 1 has been EOL, we recommend you migrate to a different SOAP engine, such as Apache Axis 2/Java. Alternatively you could use a build of Axis with the patch from https://github.com/apache/axis-axis1-java/commit/685c309febc64aa393b2d64a05f90e7eb9f73e06 applied. The Apache Axis project does not expect to create an Axis 1.x release
fixing this problem, though contributors that would like to work towards this are welcome.
Impact
The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths. Typical impact: varies by context: data corruption, logic bypass, or denial of service.
CVE-2023-51441 has a CVSS score of 7.2 (High). The vector is network-reachable, high 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. No fixed version is listed yet, so configuration controls and monitoring matter more in the interim.
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.
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See it in your environmentNew to Kodem? Get a demo →Remediation advice
In the interim: Validate all external input against an allowlist of expected values, types, and ranges before processing.
Kodem Kai can prioritize this vulnerability in your dependency tree and generate a fix recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is CVE-2023-51441? CVE-2023-51441 is a high-severity improper input validation vulnerability in org.apache.axis:axis (maven), affecting versions <= 1.3. No fixed version is listed yet. The application does not adequately validate input before processing it, allowing unexpected values to reach sensitive code paths.
- How severe is CVE-2023-51441? CVE-2023-51441 has a CVSS score of 7.2 (High). 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 packages are affected by CVE-2023-51441?
org.apache.axis:axis(maven) (versions <= 1.3)axis:axis(maven) (versions <= 1.3)
- Is there a fix for CVE-2023-51441? No fixed version is listed for CVE-2023-51441 yet. Monitor the advisory for updates and apply mitigations in the interim.
- Is CVE-2023-51441 exploitable, and should I be worried? Whether CVE-2023-51441 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-2023-51441 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-2023-51441? No fixed version is listed yet. In the interim: Validate all external input against an allowlist of expected values, types, and ranges before processing.