# What is CVE-2016-6325? > CVE-2016-6325 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.8) in Tomcat from Apache, published on 13 October 2016. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 0.7%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix. Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2016-6325 ## At a glance - **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle. - **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 46 out of 100 (Medium); action: Plan remediation. Kept up to date as the evidence changes. - **Severity:** High (CVSS 7.8 out of 10) - **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today - **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 0.7% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast) - **Published:** 13 October 2016 - **Record last updated:** 12 April 2025 - **Main product:** Tomcat from Apache - **Affected products:** 11 ## What is CVE-2016-6325? In plain terms An attacker has to be already on the device with an ordinary user account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline. ### The official description The Tomcat package on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 through 7, JBoss Web Server 3.0, and JBoss EWS 2 uses weak permissions for (1) /etc/sysconfig/tomcat and (2) /etc/tomcat/tomcat.conf, which allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging membership in the tomcat group. ### What kind of flaw is it? - Unknown: Unknown ### How an attack on it works - Where an attacker can be: Already on the device - How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions - Login needed first: An ordinary user account - Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything - What an attacker gets: Can read data, change data and take it offline Severity vector: `CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H` ## Is CVE-2016-6325 being exploited? Not that we know of It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.7%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%, 0.7%. ### Timeline - 13 October 2016: Published - 12 April 2025: Record last updated ### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it CVE-2016-6325 scores **46 out of 100 (Medium)**, with the action "Plan remediation". Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less: - Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor - How severe it is: strong factor - How widely exposed it is: key context - Real threat activity around it: key context 85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it. ## Who is affected by CVE-2016-6325? The published record lists 11 products. - [Tomcat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/apache/tomcat) by [Apache](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/apache) (Application): version not specified - [Enterprise Linux](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 5.0, 6.0, 7.0 - [Enterprise Linux Desktop](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_desktop) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 6.0, 7.0 - [Enterprise Linux Hpc Node](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_hpc_node) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 6.0, 7.0 - [Enterprise Linux Server](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_server) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 6.0, 7.0 - [Enterprise Linux Workstation](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_workstation) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 6.0, 7.0 - [Enterprise Linux Hpc Node Eus](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_hpc_node_eus) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 7.2 - [Enterprise Linux Server Aus](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_server_aus) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 7.2 - [Enterprise Linux Server Eus](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/enterprise_linux_server_eus) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Operating system): 7.2 - [Jboss Enterprise Web Server](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/jboss_enterprise_web_server) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Application): 2.0.0 - [Jboss Web Server](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/redhat/jboss_web_server) by [Red Hat](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/redhat) (Application): 3.0 ## How do I fix CVE-2016-6325? 1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list. 2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisories and patch notes first in the list. 3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in. 4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood. ### References - [rhn.redhat.com](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2045.html) (Vendor advisory) - [rhn.redhat.com](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2046.html) (Vendor advisory) - [bugzilla.redhat.com](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1367447) (Issue tracking, Vulnerability database, Vendor advisory) - [rhn.redhat.com](http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0457.html) - [oracle.com](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinoct2016-3090545.html) - [securityfocus.com](http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93478) - [access.redhat.com](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:0455) - [access.redhat.com](https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:0456) ## Questions ### What is CVE-2016-6325? CVE-2016-6325 is a high-severity flaw in Tomcat from Apache, published on 13 October 2016. An attacker has to be already on the device with an ordinary user account, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline. ### How serious is CVE-2016-6325? It scores 7.8 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2016-6325 is 46 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle. ### Is CVE-2016-6325 being exploited? It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.7%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching. ### Which versions does CVE-2016-6325 affect? For Tomcat from Apache: version not specified. The record lists 11 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page. ### How do I fix CVE-2016-6325? Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet. ## Does CVE-2016-6325 affect you? Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you: - **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website. - **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list. - **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it. - **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools. Start free (no card, nothing to install): https://www.precursorintelligence.com/register Book a demo: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/contact