CVE Intelligence
Medium

CVE-2016-6794 — System Property Disclosure in Apache Tomcat

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.

Published Aug 10, 2017 · Updated Oct 15, 2026 · Sources: NIST National Vulnerability Database, CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP, GitHub Security Advisories · CNA: apache

Who exploits it and how urgent it is

A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.

No exploitation signal in the sources consulted so far.
How the score was calculated
  • EPSS 7.2% (30-day exploitation probability)+14
  • Technical severity (medium)+3

The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).

Triage

Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.

Exploitation
Not confirmed
Not in CISA KEV — an absence of record, not proof it is unexploited.
EPSS FIRST
7.15%
ahead of 94% of scored CVEs · Oct 15, 2026
Affects
Apache Software Foundation
Tomcat and 14 more
CVSS base
5.3
Medium · 2 source(s)

CISA SSVC assessment CISA

Three decision points CISA publishes for the CVEs it assesses (SSVC 2.0.3). A stakeholder decision, not a severity score.

Exploitation
None
none · proof-of-concept · active
Automatable
No
can an attacker script the kill-chain steps
Technical impact
Partial
partial · total control of the vulnerable component

Remediation

Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.

  • Documented patch — www.oracle.com (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
  • Maven Org.apache.tomcat:tomcat: fixed in version 6.0.47 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
  • Maven Org.apache.tomcat:tomcat: fixed in version 7.0.72 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
  • Maven Org.apache.tomcat:tomcat: fixed in version 8.0.37 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
  • Maven Org.apache.tomcat:tomcat: fixed in version 8.5.5 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)
  • Maven Org.apache.tomcat:tomcat: fixed in version 9.0.0.M10 — github.com (GitHub Security Advisories)

First 24 hours

Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.

  1. Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Apache Software Foundation Tomcat, Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux…).
  2. The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
  3. Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
  4. EPSS ahead of 94% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
  5. Search available logs for exploit probes, errors and authentication anomalies.

Affected scope

Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.

VendorProductVersionsStatusSource
Apache Software Foundation Tomcat version 9.0.0-milestone6version 9.0.0-milestone2version 9.0.0-milestone1≥ 8.5.0 and ≤ 8.5.4≥ 8.0 and ≤ 8.0.36≥ 7.0.0 and ≤ 7.0.70≥ 6.0.0 and ≤ 6.0.45version 9.0.0-milestone3
and 5 more version 9.0.0-milestone4version 9.0.0-milestone5version 9.0.0-milestone7version 9.0.0-milestone8version 9.0.0-milestone9
Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Apache Software Foundation Tomcat version 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.M9version 8.5.0 to 8.5.4version 8.0.0.RC1 to 8.0.36version 7.0.0 to 7.0.70version 6.0.0 to 6.0.45 Vulnerable CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
Canonical Ubuntu Linux version 16.04 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Debian Debian Linux version 8.0 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp Oncommand Insight versions not specified by the source Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp Oncommand Shift versions not specified by the source Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Netapp Snap Creator Framework versions not specified by the source Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Oracle Tekelec Platform Distribution ≥ 7.4.0 and ≤ 7.7.1 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 7.0 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Eus version 7.7version 7.6version 7.5version 7.4 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server version 7.0 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Aus version 7.7version 7.6 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Tus version 7.7version 7.6 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation version 7.0 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Red Hat Jboss Enterprise Web Server version 3.0.0 Vulnerable NIST National Vulnerability Database
Maven Org.apache.tomcat:tomcat ≥ 6.0.0 and < 6.0.47≥ 7.0.0 and < 7.0.72≥ 8.0.0 and < 8.0.37≥ 8.1.0 and < 8.5.5≥ 9.0.0.M1 and ≤ 9.0.0.M9 Vulnerable GitHub Security Advisories

Attack characteristics

The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Every base score collected

Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.

ScoreVersionSeverityExpl.ImpactScored by
5.3 CVSS 3.1 Medium 3.9 1.4 nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database
5.3 CVSS 3.1 Medium — — GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories
5.0 CVSS 2.0 Medium 10.0 2.9 nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov)

Detection

Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.

  • Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
web/proxy/WAF logsnetwork IDS/IPS

Timeline

What happened to this CVE, newest first.

  • 2026
  • Fix documented
    Oct 15, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisories
  • Affected products added · maven/org.apache.tomcat:tomcat
    Oct 15, 2026 · GitHub Security Advisories
  • Affected products added · apache software foundation/apache tomcat
    Oct 15, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • SSVC assessment updated
    Oct 15, 2026 · CVE Program (cve.org) e CISA ADP
  • Record published
    Oct 15, 2026
  • Fix documented
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Affected products added · apache/tomcat, debian/debian linux, redhat/jboss enterprise web server, redhat/enterprise linux desktop, redhat/enterpri
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • CVSS changed · 5.3
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Source status changed · → Modified
    Oct 15, 2026 · NIST National Vulnerability Database
  • Record created in this database
    Oct 15, 2026 · Alertas do Telegram
  • 2017
  • CVE published
    Aug 10, 2017 · apache

Source activity

Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.

  • 2× References added · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026
  • 1× Official description updated · Oct 15, 2026 – Oct 15, 2026

References

50 on the record

Elsewhere on this site

Apache Software Foundation
every CVE for this vendor

Related CVEs (same products)

  • CVE-2026-42169 Gimp: gimp apng loader heap-buffer-overflow when fctl width exceeds ihdr width (file-png.c) Aug 4, 2026
  • CVE-2026-12996 A use-after-free in OpenVPN 2.6.0 through 2.6.20 and 2.7_alpha1 through 2.7.4 allows remote... Jul 30, 2026
  • CVE-2026-55956 Apache Tomcat: Security constraints for default servlet ignored method Jun 29, 2026
  • CVE-2026-55276 Apache Tomcat: Logged effective web.xml is incomplete Jun 29, 2026
  • CVE-2026-55955 Apache Tomcat: EncryptInterceptor not protected against replay attacks Jun 29, 2026
  • CVE-2026-55957 Apache Tomcat: Authentication bypass with JNDIRealm and GSSAPI authenticated bind Jun 29, 2026

Not in any source we poll

Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.

  • No CWE classification.
  • No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
  • No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
  • No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.

Answered from this record

Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.

What should defenders know first?

CVE-2016-6794 is "System Property Disclosure in Apache Tomcat", rated Medium. It affects Tomcat (Apache Software Foundation); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 5.3 describes technical severity. EPSS 7.15% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.

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