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Public proof of conceptFix available

CVE-2025-5878

ESAPI esapi-java-legacy SQL Injection Defense Encoder.encodeForSQL special element

A public proof of concept exists; no exploitation attested.

  • Published2025-06-29
  • WeaknessCWE-138 · CWE-20

Am I affected?

With a domain, we read the version its public headers and pages expose. A distribution build can carry the fix under an older number.

Description

A vulnerability was found in ESAPI esapi-java-legacy and classified as problematic. This issue affects the interface Encoder.encodeForSQL of the SQL Injection Defense. An attack leads to an improper neutralization of special elements. The attack may be initiated remotely and an exploit has been disclosed to the public. The project was contacted early about this issue and handled it with an exceptional level of professionalism. Upgrading to version 2.7.0.0 is able to address this issue. Commit ID f75ac2c2647a81d2cfbdc9c899f8719c240ed512 is disabling the feature by default and any attempt to use it will trigger a warning. And commit ID e2322914304d9b1c52523ff24be495b7832f6a56 is updating the misleading Java class documentation to warn about the risks.

Timeline

dates in UTC
  1. 2025-06-2912:15CVE publishedNVD

Versions per branch

Products declared by the CNA1 product

As VulDB, the CNA that assigned this CVE, declared them in the CVE record; versions as written.

  • esapi-java-legacy
    Affected
    • = 2.0-rc10no fix stated
    • = 2.0-rc11no fix stated
    • = 2.0.1no fix stated
    • = 2.0GA1no fix stated
    • = 2.1.0no fix stated
    • = 2.1.0.1no fix stated
    • = 2.2.0.0no fix stated
    • = 2.2.0.0-RC1no fix stated

    21 more version lines in the CVE record.

Source: the CNA record (CVE Program), © The MITRE Corporation,CVE Terms of UseCVE recordupdated 2025-06-29

Distribution builds and vendor advisories

Packages from OSV.dev and products from the vendors' CSAF advisories.

version not verifiedVersions not verified: read as OSV.dev and the vendors publish them, not checked against each vendor's release list.

Packages

  • libowasp-esapi-javaUbuntu:Pro:22.04:LTSall versions · fixed in 2.2.3.1-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
  • libowasp-esapi-javaUbuntu:Pro:20.04:LTSall versions · fixed in 2.1.0-3ubuntu0.20.04.1~esm1
  • libowasp-esapi-javaUbuntu:Pro:18.04:LTSall versions · fixed in 2.1.0-3ubuntu0.18.04.1~esm1
  • libowasp-esapi-javaUbuntu:Pro:16.04:LTSall versions · fixed in 2.1.0-2ubuntu0.1~esm1
  • libowasp-esapi-javaUbuntu:26.10all versions · no fixed version listed
  • libowasp-esapi-javaUbuntu:26.04:LTSall versions · no fixed version listed
  • libowasp-esapi-javaUbuntu:25.10all versions · no fixed version listed
  • libowasp-esapi-javaUbuntu:24.04:LTSall versions · fixed in 2.4.0.0-2ubuntu0.1

11 more package ranges on OSV.dev

Full record on NVD

Fix

No fix published by the sources we read yet. NVD record

Detection

read 2026-11-01 01:02 UTC
Nuclei template
none so far
ProjectDiscovery
Exploit-DB
no entry
Exploit-DB
Proof of concept
Metasploit modules
none listed
Metasploit Framework

Sources

  • NVDCVE recordread 2026-10-23
  • CISA-ADPSSVC decisionpoc2025-06-30
  • CNACVSS 4.05.5known since 2026-10-23
  • CNACVSS 3.17.3known since 2026-10-23
  • CNACVSS 2.07.5known since 2026-10-23
  • CNAweakness (CWE)CWE-138, CWE-20known since 2026-10-23
  • FIRST EPSSEPSS score0.5 %2026-11-09
  • PoC-in-GitHubproof of concept1known since 2026-11-01
  • OSVaffected packages—
  • GitHub Advisoriesadvisory—

Identifiers

Technical details

CVSS v3 Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
CVSS 4.0 vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
Published
2025-06-29
Last Modified
2026-06-17
NVD status
Deferred
GitHub Advisory
GHSA-hxjw-v2v5-hpcr

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2025-5878?

A vulnerability was found in ESAPI esapi-java-legacy and classified as problematic. This issue affects the interface Encoder.encodeForSQL of the SQL Injection Defense. An attack leads to an improper neutralization of special elements. The attack may be initiated remotely and an exploit has been disclosed to the public. The project was contacted early about this issue and handled it with an exceptional level of professionalism. Upgrading to version 2.7.0.0 is able to address this issue. Commit ID f75ac2c2647a81d2cfbdc9c899f8719c240ed512 is disabling the feature by default and any attempt to use it will trigger a warning. And commit ID e2322914304d9b1c52523ff24be495b7832f6a56 is updating the misleading Java class documentation to warn about the risks.

Is CVE-2025-5878 actively exploited?

A proof-of-concept exploit exists for CVE-2025-5878, but active exploitation has not been confirmed at this time.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2025-5878?

CVE-2025-5878 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.3 (HIGH severity), with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L.

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