CVE catalog

CVE-2020-13959

velocity-tools: CVE-2020-13959

Severity: Medium · CVSS 6.5CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
Published: Jan 1, 2020, 12:00:00 AM UTC
Source: [NVD] · [CVE record]
EPSS: 5.72% · Oct 25, 2026

The default error page for VelocityView in Apache Velocity Tools prior to 3.1 reflects back the vm file that was entered as part of the URL. An attacker can set an XSS payload file as this vm file in the URL which results in this payload being executed. XSS vulnerabilities allow attackers to execute arbitrary JavaScript in the context of the attacked website and the attacked user. This can be abused to steal session cookies, perform requests in the name of the victim or for phishing attacks.

Vulnerable and fixed packages

Distribution-reported package versions and fixes. These do not depend on matching against the OpenFactory package catalog.

Distribution	Package	Release	Version	Status
Debian	velocity-tools	sid	`2.0-9`	fixed
Debian	velocity-tools	forky	`2.0-9`	fixed
Debian	velocity-tools	trixie	`2.0-9`	fixed
Debian	velocity-tools	bookworm	`2.0-8`	fixed
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	pro	`2.0-6`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	pro	`2.0-7`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	pro	`2.0-7ubuntu0.18.04.1~esm1`	fixed
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	20.04	`2.0-7`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	20.04	`2.0-7ubuntu0.20.04.1`	fixed
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	pro	`2.0-6`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	pro	`2.0-7`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	pro	`2.0-7ubuntu0.18.04.1~esm1`	fixed
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	20.04	`2.0-7`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	20.04	`2.0-7ubuntu0.20.04.1`	fixed

Fixed-version evidence

Distribution	Package	Type	Release	Fixed version	Urgency	Origin	Bugs
Debian	velocity-tools	source	sid	`2.0-8`	not yet assigned	Not reported	[985221]
Debian	velocity-tools	source	forky	`2.0-8`	not yet assigned	Not reported	[985221]
Debian	velocity-tools	source	trixie	`2.0-8`	not yet assigned	Not reported	[985221]
Debian	velocity-tools	source	bookworm	`2.0-8`	not yet assigned	Not reported	[985221]
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	deb	pro	`2.0-7ubuntu0.18.04.1~esm1`	Not reported	USN-6282-1	Not reported
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	deb	20.04	`2.0-7ubuntu0.20.04.1`	Not reported	USN-6282-1	Not reported
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	deb	pro	`2.0-7ubuntu0.18.04.1~esm1`	Not reported	UBUNTU-CVE-2020-13959	Not reported
Ubuntu	velocity-tools	deb	20.04	`2.0-7ubuntu0.20.04.1`	Not reported	UBUNTU-CVE-2020-13959	Not reported

[Debian bug #985221]

OpenFactory catalog packages

[Debian 12 (Bookworm)]

[libvelocity-tools-java]Fixed
Source package: [velocity-tools]
Details (2)
- 2.0-8 · all · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 2.0-8
  dsa · velocity-tools · debian · bookworm; dsa · velocity-tools · debian · 12
- 2.0-8 · all · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 2.0-8
  dsa · velocity-tools · debian · bookworm; dsa · velocity-tools · debian · 12
[libvelocity-tools-java-doc]Fixed
Source package: [velocity-tools]
Details (2)
- 2.0-8 · all · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 2.0-8
  dsa · velocity-tools · debian · bookworm; dsa · velocity-tools · debian · 12
- 2.0-8 · all · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 2.0-8
  dsa · velocity-tools · debian · bookworm; dsa · velocity-tools · debian · 12

[Debian 13 (Trixie)]

[libvelocity-tools-java]Fixed
Source package: [velocity-tools]
Details (2)
- 2.0-9 · all · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 2.0-8
  dsa · velocity-tools · debian · 13
- 2.0-9 · all · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 2.0-8
  dsa · velocity-tools · debian · 13

Observed: Oct 23, 2026, 5:47:45 PM UTC

References

[Debian Security Tracker] · [FIRST EPSS] · [OSV Package Vulnerability Database] · [Red Hat security advisories and VEX]