# CVE-2015-5346: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation in Apache Tomcat

> Remote attackers can hijack web sessions in Apache Tomcat when multiple application versions share session settings, leading to account takeover.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Feb 2016
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jrcp-c39h-r29x, UBUNTU-CVE-2015-5346

## What is CVE-2015-5346?

CVE-2015-5346 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, published on 25 Feb 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Session fixation vulnerability in Apache Tomcat 7.x before 7.0.66, 8.x before 8.0.30, and 9.x before 9.0.0.M2, when different session settings are used for deployments of multiple versions of the same web application, might allow remote attackers to hijack web sessions by leveraging use of a requestedSessionSSL field for an unintended request, related to CoyoteAdapter.java and Request.java.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-5346?

6 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.tomcat:tomcat. It affects 3 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 7.0.0 | 7.0.66 |
| `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 7.0.0 | 7.0.66 |
| `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 8.0.0.RC1 | 8.0.31 |
| `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 8.0.0.RC1 | 8.0.31 |
| `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 9.0.0.M1 | 9.0.0.M2 |
| `org.apache.tomcat:tomcat` | Maven | From 9.0.0.M1 | 9.0.0.M2 |

Products: Apache Tomcat, Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-5346?

Upgrade org.apache.tomcat:tomcat to a fixed version for your release line: 7.0.66, 8.0.31 or 9.0.0.M2.

## Is CVE-2015-5346 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-5346 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-2015-5346 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-5346 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, published on 25 Feb 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-5346 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 7.0.0; fixed in 7.0.66
- org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 7.0.0; fixed in 7.0.66
- org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 8.0.0.RC1; fixed in 8.0.31
- org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 8.0.0.RC1; fixed in 8.0.31
- org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 9.0.0.M1; fixed in 9.0.0.M2
- org.apache.tomcat:tomcat (Maven): affected from 9.0.0.M1; fixed in 9.0.0.M2

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-2015-5346/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-5346/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-5346
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-5346
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-5346

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-5346/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.