CVE-2009-4611

CVE-2009-4611 is a high-severity vulnerability in Mortbay Jetty with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Description

Mort Bay Jetty 6.x through 6.1.22 and 7.0.0 writes backtrace data without sanitizing non-printable characters, which might allow remote attackers to modify a window's title, or possibly execute arbitrary commands or overwrite files, via an HTTP request containing an escape sequence for a terminal emulator, related to (1) a string value in the Age parameter to the default URI for the Cookie Dump Servlet in test-jetty-webapp/src/main/java/com/acme/CookieDump.java under cookie/, (2) an alphabetic value in the A parameter to jsp/expr.jsp, or (3) an alphabetic value in the Content-Length HTTP header to an arbitrary application.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2009-4611?
Mort Bay Jetty 6.x through 6.1.22 and 7.0.0 writes backtrace data without sanitizing non-printable characters, which might allow remote attackers to modify a window's title, or possibly execute arbitrary commands or overwrite files, via an HTTP request containing an escape sequence for a terminal emulator, related to (1) a string value in the Age parameter to the default URI for the Cookie Dump Servlet in test-jetty-webapp/src/main/java/com/acme/CookieDump.java under cookie/, (2) an alphabetic value in the A parameter to jsp/expr.jsp, or (3) an alphabetic value in the Content-Length HTTP header to an arbitrary application.
How severe is CVE-2009-4611?
CVE-2009-4611 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.5, rated high severity.
Is CVE-2009-4611 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 3% (87th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2009-4611?
CVE-2009-4611 primarily affects Mortbay Jetty. In total, 81 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-4611?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2009-4611 published?
CVE-2009-4611 was published on 2010-01-13 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (81)

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