Colm O hEigeartaigh announced a critical vulnerability affecting various versions of Apache CXF, a widely-used framework for building web services.
This issue, documented as CVE-2025-23184, poses a significant risk as it can lead to a Denial of Service (DoS) attack due to improper handling of temporary files. The vulnerability has been confirmed in specific versions of Apache CXF before their respective updates, which include:
- Apache CXF versions before 3.5.10
- Apache CXF 3.6.0 prior to 3.6.5
- Apache CXF 4.0.0 before 4.0.6
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Vulnerability Details
The CVE-2025-23184 vulnerability centers around the CachedOutputStream instances that, under certain edge cases, are not properly closed.
When these streams are backed by temporary files, they can consume excessive file system resources. This issue can occur in both server and client contexts, ultimately leading to a full file system and rendering the affected system inoperable.
The implications of this vulnerability necessitate immediate attention from developers and system administrators who utilize Apache CXF in their applications.
The potential impact of this vulnerability is considerable, particularly for organizations that rely heavily on web services built with Apache CXF.
A successful DoS attack could disrupt services, affect functionality, and lead to downtime, which can have cascading effects on operational efficiency and user satisfaction.
To mitigate this risk, users of affected versions must update their software to the latest, patched versions as soon as possible. The patched versions are as follows:
- Upgrade to Apache CXF 3.5.10 or newer
- Upgrade to Apache CXF 3.6.5 or newer
- Upgrade to Apache CXF 4.0.6 or newer
Additionally, administrators are advised to review their application logs and monitor for any unusual activity that may suggest an active exploitation of this vulnerability.
As the Apache CXF community addresses this critical security concern, users are encouraged to take proactive measures by upgrading their installations promptly.Â
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