SMBs Face Mounting Risk as Tomcat Brute-Force Attacks Surge: What You Can Do Now
Coordinated Cyber Assaults Are No Longer Just an Enterprise Problem
On June 5th, 2025, leading threat intelligence firm GreyNoise sounded the alarm: 295 malicious IP addresses launched a synchronized wave of brute-force attacks targeting the Apache Tomcat Manager interface (The Hacker News, 2025). If you run even a single web application—whether it’s public-facing or internal—this trend should have your full attention.
Why does this matter to your business? Brute-force attacks, where bad actors hammer logins with automated password guesses, can swiftly compromise exposed systems lacking robust security controls. The surge in coordinated attempts means threat actors are looking for low-hanging fruit at scale—and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are squarely in their sights.
Stat to know: It takes about 16 minutes, on average, for attackers to weaponize a discovered vulnerability and launch attacks at scale (Verizon DBIR, 2024).
What’s at Stake for SMBs?
- Data Breaches: Unauthorized access could expose sensitive customer, financial, or business-critical data.
- Operational Disruption: Compromised servers may be used as jump-off points for ransomware or further attacks.
- Compliance Risks & Costs: Even a minor breach can result in legal and reputational fallout, impacting trust and bottom lines.
Securing Apache Tomcat Manager: 3 Actionable Steps
Even if you’re not running Tomcat in production, the lessons here apply to all web applications. Here’s how you can secure, simplify, and reduce costs—without waiting for a breach to force your hand:
1. Harden Web Application Access Controls
- Restrict Tomcat Manager access to specific internal IPs or trusted VPNs—never the open internet.
- Disable default admin accounts and enforce strong, unique passwords for all logins.
- If possible, enable multifactor authentication (MFA) for management interfaces.
2. Monitor & Respond Proactively
- Enable audit logging and review login attempts for suspicious activity.
- Set up automated alerts for excessive failed logins—a tell-tale sign of brute-force attempts.
- Regularly test your applications for exposed services using free tools or a managed provider.
3. Keep Software & Defenses Up-to-Date
- Promptly patch Tomcat and third-party tools—you don’t want to be in the window between vulnerability discovery and patching when these attacks hit.
- Implement web application firewalls (WAFs) to block malicious traffic before it reaches your servers.
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Take Action Before Attackers Do
The recent surge in Tomcat brute-force attacks is proof that attackers aren’t slowing down. SMBs can’t afford a “wait and see” approach to cybersecurity. By hardening access, monitoring proactively, and patching systems promptly, you can drastically reduce your exposure—while gaining peace of mind and cost predictability.
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