CVE-2025-55754: Apache Tomcat: console manipulation via escape sequences in log messages

[Mark Thomas <markt () apache org>]

Severity: low

Affected versions:

- Apache Tomcat 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.10
- Apache Tomcat 10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.44
- Apache Tomcat 9.0.40 through 9.0.108
- Apache Tomcat 8.5.60 through 8.5.100
- Apache Tomcat 3 before 8.5.0 unknown

Description:

Improper Neutralization of Escape, Meta, or Control Sequences 
vulnerability in Apache Tomcat.

Tomcat did not escape ANSI escape sequences in log messages. If Tomcat 
was running in a console on a Windows operating system, and the console 
supported ANSI escape sequences, it was possible for an attacker to use 
a specially crafted URL to inject ANSI escape sequences to manipulate 
the console and the clipboard and attempt to trick an administrator into 
running an attacker controlled command. While no attack vector was 
found, it may have been possible to mount this attack on other operating 
systems.



This issue affects Apache Tomcat: from 11.0.0-M1 through 11.0.10, from 
10.1.0-M1 through 10.1.44, from 9.0.40 through 9.0.108.

The following versions were EOL at the time the CVE was created but are
known to be affected: 8.5.60 though 8.5.100. Other, older, EOL versions 
may also be affected.
Users are recommended to upgrade to version 11.0.11 or later, 10.1.45 or 
later or 9.0.109 or later, which fix the issue.

Credit:

Elysee Franchuk of MOBIA Technology Innovations (finder)

References:

https://lists.apache.org/thread/j7w54hqbkfcn0xb9xy0wnx8w5nymcbqd
https://tomcat.apache.org/
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-55754