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Weakness (CWE)

CWE-917: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an Expression Language Statement

Base Incomplete

The product constructs all or part of an expression language (EL) statement in a framework such as a Java Server Page (JSP) using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended EL statement before it is executed.

How to prevent it (3 mitigations)

  1. Architecture and Design

    Avoid adding user-controlled data into an expression interpreter when possible.

  2. Implementation

    If user-controlled data must be added to an expression interpreter, one or more of the following should be performed:

    - Validate that the user input will not evaluate as an expression

    - Encode the user input in a way that ensures it is not evaluated as an expression

  3. System Configuration, Operation

    The framework or tooling might allow the developer to disable or deactivate the processing of EL expressions, such as setting the isELIgnored attribute for a JSP page to "true".

Source: MITRE CWE-917

All Critical High Medium Low Exploited only Public exploit

2 results · Clear filters · Feed

  • High 8.8
    CVE-2020-10199 Exploited Public exploit EPSS 99%

    Nexus Repository Manager 3 - Remote Code Execution

    Sonatype Nexus Repository before 3.21.2 allows JavaEL Injection (issue 1 of 2).

    org.sonatype.nexus:nexus-extdirect Maven
    KEV Nov 3, 2021
  • High 8.8
    CVE-2010-1871 Exploited Public exploit EPSS 83%

    JBoss Seam 2 (jboss-seam2), as used in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform 4.3.0 for Red Hat Linux, does not properly…

    KEV Dec 10, 2021