cbcvebase.
CVE-2025-68493
published 2026-01-11

CVE-2025-68493: Missing XML Validation vulnerability in Apache Struts, Apache Struts. This issue affects Apache Struts: from 2.0.0 before 2.2.1; Apache Struts: from 2.2.1…

PriorityP279high8.1CVSS 3.1
AVNACLPRNUIRSUCHINAH
ITWVulnCheck KEV
Exploited in the wild
EPSS
22.99%
97.5th percentile
Missing XML Validation vulnerability in Apache Struts, Apache Struts. This issue affects Apache Struts: from 2.0.0 before 2.2.1; Apache Struts: from 2.2.1 through 6.1.0. Users are recommended to upgrade to version 6.1.1, which fixes the issue.

Affected

5 ranges
VendorProductVersion rangeFixed in
apachestruts2.0.0 – 2.3.37
apachestruts2.5.0 – 2.5.33
apachestruts>= 6.0.0 < 6.1.16.1.1
apache_software_foundationapache_struts>= 2.0.0 < 2.2.12.2.1
apache_software_foundationapache_struts2.2.1 – 6.1.0

Detection & IOCsextracted from sources · hover to see the quote

path/struts2-
snort
alert http any any -> $HOME_NET any (msg:"ET WEB_SPECIFIC_APPS Apache Struts2 XWork Component XML External Entity (XXE) injection (CVE-2025-68493)"; flow:established,to_server; http.uri; content:"/struts2-"; startswith; http.content_type; content:"application/xml"; http.request_body; content:"<?xml"; content:"|3c 21|ENTITY|20|"; fast_pattern; content:"SYSTEM"; distance:0; reference:url,www.gopher.security/news/critical-apache-struts-xxe-injection-vulnerability-cve-2025-68493; reference:cve,2025-68493; classtype:web-application-attack; sid:2066771; rev:1; metadata:affected_product Apache_Struts2, attack_target Server, tls_state TLSDecrypt, created_at 2026_01_15, cve CVE_2025_68493, deployment Perimeter, deployment Internal, deployment SSLDecrypt, confidence High, signature_severity Major, tag Exploit, updated_at 2026_01_15, mitre_tactic_id TA0001, mitre_tactic_name Initial_Access, mitre_technique_id T1190, mitre_technique_name Exploit_Public_Facing_Application; target:dest_ip;)
bytes
|3c 21|ENTITY|20|
  • Attack targets HTTP requests with URI starting with '/struts2-', Content-Type of 'application/xml', and a request body containing an XML external entity declaration (<!ENTITY ... SYSTEM ...)
  • The vulnerability is an XXE injection in the XWork XML configuration parsing component of Apache Struts; look for XML payloads referencing external entities in requests to Struts endpoints
  • Snort/Suricata SID 2066771 (ET ruleset) covers this CVE and can be used for network-level detection
  • Rule requires TLS decryption for full coverage, as metadata indicates deployment in SSLDecrypt environments
  • ·Affected versions span Apache Struts 2.0.0 through 6.1.0 (inclusive); version 6.1.1 is the fixed release
  • ·Red Hat notes no mitigation meeting their criteria is available for affected packages; struts2-core in Red Hat Fuse 7 is marked 'Will not fix'

CVSS provenance

nvdv3.18.1HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
vulncheck8.1HIGH
vendor_redhat8.1HIGH
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