A high-severity race condition in Apache Tomcat permits unauthorized local access to unix domain sockets, potentially exposing sensitive communications to local attackers.

This is a race condition (CWE-367) occurring during the creation of unix domain sockets. An unauthorized local user can exploit this TOCTOU window to gain access to the socket, which may facilitate unauthorized data interception or manipulation.

The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 8.1, reflecting a high potential for impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Successful exploitation allows a local attacker to bypass intended access controls for inter-process communication, which could lead to the exposure of sensitive application data or the hijacking of service functions.

Immediate Action: Upgrade to Apache Tomcat version 11.0.25, 10.1.58, or 9.0.121 as recommended by the vendor.

Proactive Monitoring: Review system logs for unusual socket connection attempts or unauthorized process access patterns originating from the local environment.

Compensating Controls: Ensure that appropriate file system permissions are strictly applied to the directories where unix domain sockets are created to limit access to authorized service accounts.

Public Exploit Available: Unknown

Given the potential for unauthorized access to internal communication channels, organizations should prioritize the update to the patched versions of Apache Tomcat. While this vulnerability requires local access, it represents a significant security risk in multi-tenant or shared hosting environments where privilege boundaries must be maintained. Apply the recommended versions immediately to eliminate this race condition.