What is CVE-2016-0763?

CVE-2016-0763 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, classified under CWE-264. CVSS score: 6.3/10. Published 2016-02-25.

How severe is CVE-2016-0763?

Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 6.3 out of 10.

Is CVE-2016-0763 known to be exploited?

1 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

Vulnerability in Apache Tomcat

CVE-2016-0763

The setGlobalContext method in org/apache/naming/factory/ResourceLinkFactory.java in Apache Tomcat 7.x before 7.0.68, 8.x before 8.0.31, and 9.x before 9.0.0.M3 does not consider whether ResourceLinkFactory.setGlobalContext callers are authorized, which allows remote authenticated users to bypass intended SecurityManager restrictions and read or write to arbitrary application data, or cause a denial of service (application disruption), via a web application that sets a crafted global context.

Published 2016-02-25 · last modified 2026-06-17.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 6.3 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.113 (95.8th percentile), scored 2026-09-28.

Moderate probability of exploitation in the next 30 days — watch for active exploitation reports. 96th percentile — 95.8% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.113 · newest: 0.113 · change: 0.000

Affected products

Apache Tomcat — versions 7.0.0, 7.0.2, 7.0.4
Canonical Ubuntu Linux — versions 12.04, 14.04, 15.10
Debian Linux — versions 7.0, 8.0

Weakness classification (CWE)

CWE-264

Public proof-of-concept exploits

dusbot/cpe2cve

References

security.gentoo.org/glsa/201705-09 (vendor-advisory)
svn.apache.org/viewvc
lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-03/msg00085.html (vendor-advisory)
tomcat.apache.org/security-9.html (Vendor Advisory)
www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3024-1 (vendor-advisory)
lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-03/msg00047.html (vendor-advisory)
h20566.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay
www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3530 (vendor-advisory)
tomcat.apache.org/security-7.html (Vendor Advisory)
seclists.org/bugtraq/2016/Feb/147 (mailing-list)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-0763?: CVE-2016-0763 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Apache Tomcat, classified under CWE-264. CVSS score: 6.3/10. Published 2016-02-25.
How severe is CVE-2016-0763?: Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 6.3 out of 10.
Is CVE-2016-0763 known to be exploited?: 1 public proof-of-concept repositories are indexed. Not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.