CVE-2016-3081
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…
- 8.1HighCVSS base score
- 96.5%Exploitation in 30 daysEPSS · top 0.1% of all CVEs
- YesKnown exploitedin CISA's KEV since 8 Oct 2026
- 3Public exploitsMetasploit, Nuclei and Exploit-DB
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.
Exploited in the wild
CISA lists this vulnerability in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog as Apache Struts Command Injection Vulnerability.
- Added
- 8 Oct 2026
- Fix due (US federal)
- 11 Oct 2026
- Used by ransomware
- Not known
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.
ENISA's EU Vulnerability Database lists it as exploited, from CISA's KEV, since 8 Oct 2026.
Public exploit
An exploit or proof of concept is public: anyone can try it against an unpatched system. The public collections list a Metasploit module, a Nuclei template and an Exploit-DB entry for it. A reference of the record is tagged as an exploit. CISA's SSVC rates its exploitation: it is being exploited.
Show the exploits4
Metasploit modules1 module
- Apache Struts Dynamic Method Invocation Remote Code Execution (Metasploit module) (opens in a new tab)
exploit/multi/http/struts_dmi_execRank excellentdisclosed 27 Apr 2016
Nuclei templates1 template
- Apache S2-032 Struts - Remote Code Execution (Nuclei template) (opens in a new tab)
http/cves/2016/CVE-2016-3081.yamlSeverity high
Exploit-DB1 entry
- Apache Struts - Dynamic Method Invocation Remote Code Execution (Metasploit) (Exploit-DB entry) (opens in a new tab)
EDB-ID 39756remote, linuxpublished 2 May 2016Verified
References tagged exploit1 reference
- 39756 (opens in a new tab)exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBx_transferred
Modules, templates and exploits as listed by the Metasploit Framework (BSD-3-Clause), ProjectDiscovery's Nuclei templates (MIT) and the Exploit Database (GPLv2), read once a day. Where the data comes from
Timeline
ID reserved
By redhat
- 47 days later
· 47 days later
Published
- 10 years later
· 10 years later
Added to CISA KEV
Known exploited in the wild
- 1 day later
· 1 day later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CISA-ADPADP (enrichment) | 3.1 | High8.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| NVDNVD · Analyzed | 3.1 | High8.1 | CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 96.5% · top 0.1% of all CVEs (9 Nov 2026)
- CISA SSVC
- Exploitation: active · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 8.1.
Affected products
n/a
- affected n/a
Affected packages
From reviewed advisories of the GitHub Advisory Database.
- Mavenorg.apache.struts:struts2-coreGHSA-8c6j-ffmf-q6vm (opens in a new tab)
References
12
- 1035665 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKx_transferred
- https://struts.apache.org/docs/s2-032.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- http://www.huawei.com/en/psirt/security-advisories/huawei-sa-20160527-01-struts2-en (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2016-2881720.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2016-2881722.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/linux/http/struts_dmi_exec (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- 39756 (opens in a new tab)exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DBx_transferred
- 91787 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDx_transferred
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/136856/Apache-Struts-2.3.28-Dynamic-Method-Invocation-Remote-Code-Execution.html (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- 87327 (opens in a new tab)vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDx_transferred
- http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/multi/http/struts_dmi_exec (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-3081 (opens in a new tab)government-resource
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- CISA KEV catalog (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- EUVD EUVD-2022-3161 (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisory GHSA-8c6j-ffmf-q6vm (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2016-3081)Record last updated .