COMMAND
tomcat
SYSTEMS AFFECTED
Jakarta-tomcat
PROBLEM
Scott Morris found following. Jakarta Tomcat contains a security
bug that can compromise UNIX servers running Tomcat as root.
Tomcat can be used together with the Apache web server or a stand
alone server for Java Servlets as well as Java Servlet Pages.
The defaullt intall of Tomcat contains a mounted contest (/admin)
that contains servlets that can be used to add, delete, or view
context information about the Tomcat Server. Under UNIX, the root
directory can bee added as a context, and if the server is running
as root, all files on the system can be viewed over the web.
SOLUTION
Possible solution:
1) Do not run the Tomcat server as root
2) Restrict access to the /admin context or remove it
completely