CVE-2020-1938
CRITICALCISA KEVEPSS 100th pctlDescription
When using the Apache JServ Protocol (AJP), care must be taken when trusting incoming connections to Apache Tomcat. Tomcat treats AJP connections as having higher trust than, for example, a similar HTTP connection. If such connections are available to an attacker, they can be exploited in ways that may be surprising. In Apache Tomcat 9.0.0.M1 to 9.0.0.30, 8.5.0 to 8.5.50 and 7.0.0 to 7.0.99, Tomcat shipped with an AJP Connector enabled by default that listened on all configured IP addresses. It was expected (and recommended in the security guide) that this Connector would be disabled if not required. This vulnerability report identified a mechanism that allowed: - returning arbitrary files from anywhere in the web application - processing any file in the web application as a JSP Further, if the web application allowed file upload and stored those files within the web application (or the attacker was able to control the content of the web application by some other means) then this, along with the ability to process a file as a JSP, made remote code execution possible. It is important to note that mitigation is only required if an AJP port is accessible to untrusted users. Users wishing to take a defence-in-depth approach and block the vector that permits returning arbitrary files and execution as JSP may upgrade to Apache Tomcat 9.0.31, 8.5.51 or 7.0.100 or later. A number of changes were made to the default AJP Connector configuration in 9.0.31 to harden the default configuration. It is likely that users upgrading to 9.0.31, 8.5.51 or 7.0.100 or later will need to make small changes to their configurations.
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 100% of all known CVEs.
Apache Tomcat Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
Apache Tomcat treats Apache JServ Protocol (AJP) connections as having higher trust than, for example, a similar HTTP connection. If such connections are available to an attacker, they can be exploited.
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Remediation due: 2022-03-17
References
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
- lists.apache.org
Related Vulnerabilities
Other vulnerabilities affecting tomcat, ordered by exploit likelihood.
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2025-24813 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2018-11784 | Medium | 4.3 | 94% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2020-13935 | High | 7.5 | 87% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2017-12616 | High | 7.5 | 70% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2025-48976 | High | 7.5 | 63% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2025-48988 | High | 7.5 | 59% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2020-1938?
Published advisories record a fix for 11 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2020-1938 being actively exploited?
Yes. CVE-2020-1938 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation has been observed in the wild. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 2022-03-17. Treat it as a priority whatever its CVSS score says.
How severe is CVE-2020-1938?
CVE-2020-1938 has a CVSS v3 base score of 9.8, rated critical. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2020-1938 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for tomcat (Amazon), tomcat-admin-webapps (Amazon), tomcat-docs-webapp (Amazon), tomcat-el-2.2-api (Amazon), and 7 more. Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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<a href="https://tridentstack.com/cve/CVE-2020-1938"><img src="https://tridentstack.com/cve/badge/CVE-2020-1938.svg" alt="CVE-2020-1938"></a>This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-08-25.