CVE-2024-54677

What it actually does

Uncontrolled resource consumption in the Tomcat examples web application allows remote attackers to trigger denial of service by exhausting server resources.

Why it matters to the business

Service outages and degraded availability for web applications running on affected Tomcat versions, with elevated urgency due to widespread Tomcat usage and recent related Tomcat exploitation trends.

How an attack unfolds

Attackers locate publicly reachable Tomcat instances exposing the examples web application, then submit specially crafted requests that trigger excessive resource allocation, leading to denial of service. No widespread exploitation reported for this specific issue despite mentions of active Tomcat targeting in broader campaigns.

How to fix it

Upgrade Apache Tomcat to version 11.0.2, 10.1.34, or 9.0.98. If upgrade is delayed, remove or restrict access to the examples web application. Monitor EPSS trend for any increase in exploit likelihood.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify Tomcat version against fixed releases, confirm examples application is no longer deployed or accessible, and perform load testing with resource-intensive requests to validate DoS resistance.

Typical attack path

1. Scan for exposed Apache Tomcat servers on common ports
2. Probe for accessibility of the examples web application
3. Send repeated or crafted HTTP requests designed to consume resources
4. Observe server unresponsiveness or resource exhaustion confirming impact

How to detect it

Monitor web server access logs for repeated or high-volume requests targeting examples application paths, correlate with spikes in CPU or memory usage on Tomcat processes, and review for indicators from related Tomcat exploitation campaigns.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize upgrade of all Tomcat instances to fixed versions within the next patching cycle
• Disable or firewall the examples web application on internet-facing servers immediately
• Review logs for anomalous traffic patterns to /examples paths
• Track ecosystem prevalence of Tomcat deployments for broader risk assessment