# CVE-2012-3546: Authentication Bypass in Apache Tomcat > Remote attackers can bypass security constraints in Apache Tomcat when FORM authentication is enabled by manipulating the URI. - **Severity:** Medium 4.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Any signed-in user - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** Not needed - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 19 Dec 2012 - **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024 - **Also known as:** GHSA-jgm2-m5cg-f66g, RHSA-2013:0005, RHSA-2013:0147, RHSA-2013:0158, RHSA-2013:0164, RHSA-2013:0641 ## What is CVE-2012-3546? CVE-2012-3546 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, published on 19 Dec 2012. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. ### Official description org/apache/catalina/realm/RealmBase.java in Apache Tomcat 6.x before 6.0.36 and 7.x before 7.0.30, when FORM authentication is used, allows remote attackers to bypass security-constraint checks by leveraging a previous setUserPrincipal call and then placing /j_security_check at the end of a URI. Weakness: CWE-264 ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-3546? 4 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.tomcat:tomcat. It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 6.0.0 | 6.0.36 | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 6.0.0 | 6.0.36 | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 7.0.0 | 7.0.30 | | `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 7.0.0 | 7.0.30 | | `jbossas` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_application_platform:4.3.0::el4 | All versions | 0:4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.1.ep1.el4 | | `jbossas-client` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_application_platform:4.3.0::el4 | All versions | 0:4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.1.ep1.el4 | | `jbossas` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_application_platform:4.3.0::el5 | All versions | 0:4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.2.ep1.el5 | | `jbossas-client` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_application_platform:4.3.0::el5 | All versions | 0:4.3.0-11.GA_CP10_patch_02.2.ep1.el5 | | `jbossweb` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_application_platform:6::el5 | All versions | 0:7.0.17-3.Final_redhat_2.ep6.el5 | | `jbossweb-lib` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_application_platform:6::el5 | All versions | 0:7.0.17-3.Final_redhat_2.ep6.el5 | | `jbossweb` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_application_platform:6::el6 | All versions | 0:7.0.17-3.Final_redhat_2.ep6.el6 | | `jbossweb-lib` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_application_platform:6::el6 | All versions | 0:7.0.17-3.Final_redhat_2.ep6.el6 | | `tomcat5` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-admin-webapps` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-common-lib` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-jasper` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-jasper-eclipse` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-jasper-javadoc` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-jsp-2.0-api` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-jsp-2.0-api-javadoc` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-parent` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-server-lib` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-servlet-2.4-api` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-servlet-2.4-api-javadoc` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5-webapps` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-31_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6-admin-webapps` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6-docs-webapp` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6-el-1.0-api` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6-javadoc` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6-jsp-2.1-api` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6-lib` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6-log4j` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6-servlet-2.5-api` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat6-webapps` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el5 | All versions | 0:6.0.32-28_patch_08.ep5.el5 | | `tomcat5` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el6 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-34_patch_08.ep5.el6 | | `tomcat5-admin-webapps` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el6 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-34_patch_08.ep5.el6 | | `tomcat5-common-lib` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el6 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-34_patch_08.ep5.el6 | | `tomcat5-jasper` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el6 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-34_patch_08.ep5.el6 | | `tomcat5-jasper-eclipse` | Red Hat:jboss_enterprise_web_server:1::el6 | All versions | 0:5.5.33-34_patch_08.ep5.el6 | Products: Apache Tomcat. ## How do I fix CVE-2012-3546? Upgrade org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to a fixed version for your release line: 6.0.36 or 7.0.30. ## Is CVE-2012-3546 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-3546 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Tomcat - [CVE-2025-24813](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-24813/): Apache Tomcat Path Equivalence (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2016-8735](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-8735/): Apache Tomcat Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2017-12617](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12617/): Apache Tomcat Remote Code Execution (high 8.1, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2017-12615](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12615/): Apache Tomcat on Windows Remote Code Execution (high 8.1, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-34486](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-34486/): Apache Tomcat Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data (high 7.5, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2012-3546 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2012-3546 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, published on 19 Dec 2012. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-3546 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected packages and fixed versions: - org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 6.0.0; fixed in 6.0.36 - org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 6.0.0; fixed in 6.0.36 - org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 7.0.0; fixed in 7.0.30 - org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 7.0.0; fixed in 7.0.30 Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3546/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3546/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-3546 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-3546 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-3546 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3546/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.