# CVE-2023-49735: Apache Tiles: Unvalidated input may lead to path traversal and XXE

> Unvalidated session attribute in Apache Tiles allows path traversal and XXE, potentially leading to data exposure or code execution in unsupported versions.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 30 Nov 2023
- **Updated:** 20 Nov 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2023-49735, GHSA-qw4h-3xjj-84cc, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-49735

## What is CVE-2023-49735?

CVE-2023-49735 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apache Tiles, published on 30 Nov 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED **

The value set as the DefaultLocaleResolver.LOCALE_KEY attribute on the session was not validated while resolving XML definition files, leading to possible path traversal and eventually SSRF/XXE when passing user-controlled data to this key. Passing user-controlled data to this key may be relatively common, as it was also used like that to set the language in the 'tiles-test' application shipped with Tiles.

This issue affects Apache Tiles from version 2 onwards.

NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-49735?

6 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.apache.struts:struts-tiles, org.apache.tiles:tiles-core and struts:struts. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.apache.struts:struts-tiles` | Maven | From 1.3.0 to 1.3.10 | None |
| `org.apache.struts:struts-tiles` | Maven | From 1.3.0 to 1.3.10 | None |
| `org.apache.tiles:tiles-core` | Maven | From 2.0.0 | None |
| `org.apache.tiles:tiles-core` | Maven | From 2.0.0 | None |
| `struts:struts` | Maven | From 1.1 to 1.2.9 | None |
| `struts:struts` | Maven | From 1.1 to 1.2.9 | None |

Products: Apache Tiles.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-49735?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-49735 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-49735 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-49735 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Tiles

- [CVE-2009-1275](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1275/): Apache Tiles Vulnerable to XSS via EL Expression Injection (medium 6.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-49735 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-49735 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Apache Tiles, published on 30 Nov 2023. 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-2023-49735 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.apache.struts:struts-tiles (Maven): affected from 1.3.0 up to 1.3.10; no fix listed
- org.apache.struts:struts-tiles (Maven): affected from 1.3.0 up to 1.3.10; no fix listed
- org.apache.tiles:tiles-core (Maven): affected from 2.0.0; no fix listed
- org.apache.tiles:tiles-core (Maven): affected from 2.0.0; no fix listed
- struts:struts (Maven): affected from 1.1 up to 1.2.9; no fix listed
- struts:struts (Maven): affected from 1.1 up to 1.2.9; no fix listed

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-2023-49735/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49735/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-49735
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-49735
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-49735

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-49735/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.