CVE-2018-11787: Apache karaf Improper Authentication Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x
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CVSS 8.1
CWE-287
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2018-11787 is a HIGH (CVSS 8.1) improper authentication vulnerability (CWE-287: Improper Authentication) affecting Apache karaf libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves improper authentication in apache karaf. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1.

CVE-2018-11787 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2018-11787
GHSA Identifier GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 8.1
CWE Classification CWE-287: Improper Authentication
Affected Product Apache karaf
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 8.1

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity High (AC:H)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2018-11787

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Apache karaf dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf fixed: 3.0.9 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.karaf</groupId>
    <artifactId>apache-karaf</artifactId>
    <version>3.0.9</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf fixed: 4.0.9 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.karaf</groupId>
    <artifactId>apache-karaf</artifactId>
    <version>4.0.9</version>
</dependency>
org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf fixed: 4.1.1 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.apache.karaf</groupId>
    <artifactId>apache-karaf</artifactId>
    <version>4.1.1</version>
</dependency>
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.karaf

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2018-11787, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.karaf

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Apache karaf in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.0.9), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.karaf command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-287: Improper Authentication, where when an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct. In Apache karaf, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

In Apache Karaf version prior to 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1, when the webconsole feature is installed in Karaf, it is available at .../system/console and requires authentication to access it. One part of the console is a Gogo shell/console that gives access to the command line console of Karaf via a Web browser, and when navigated to it is available at .../system/console/gogo. Trying to go directly to that URL does require authentication. And optional bundle that some applications use is the Pax Web Extender Whiteboard, it is part of the pax-war feature and perhaps others. When it is installed, the Gogo console becomes available at another URL .../gogo/, and that URL is not secured giving access to the Karaf console to unauthenticated users. A mitigation for the issue is to manually stop/uninstall Gogo plugin bundle that is installed with the webconsole feature, although of course this removes the console from the .../system/console application, not only from the unauthenticated endpoint. One could also stop/uninstall the Pax Web Extender Whiteboard, but other components/applications may require it and so their functionality would be reduced/compromised.

CVE-2018-11787 Affected Apache karaf Versions

3 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.0.94.0.94.1.1
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf
maven/org.apache.karaf/apache-karaf
Maven
< 3.0.9
3.0.9
org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf
maven/org.apache.karaf/apache-karaf
Maven
≥ 4.0.0
< 4.0.9
4.0.9
org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf
maven/org.apache.karaf/apache-karaf
Maven
≥ 4.1.0
< 4.1.1
All 1 versions
4.1.0
4.1.1

References

NVD — CVE-2018-11787 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-11787
GitHub Advisory / Wiki ADVISORY
https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x
issues.apache.org/jira/browse/karaf-4... WEB
https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/KARAF-4993
Apache karaf Security Information SECURITY
http://karaf.apache.org/security/cve-2018-11787.txt
lists.apache.org/thread.html/d9ba4c3... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/d9ba4c3104ba32225646879a057b75b54430f349c246c85469037d3c@%3Cdev.karaf.apache.org%3E

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-11787?
CVE-2018-11787 is a security vulnerability in Apache karaf involving Improper Authentication in Apache Karaf under CWE-287: Improper Authentication.
Which Apache karaf versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1 across affected packages: org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf.
What version fixes CVE-2018-11787?
Upgrading to 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is apache-karaf affected?
Yes, org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf is affected in releases prior to 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1. Upgrade your dependency to 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2018-11787?
CVE-2018-11787 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2018-11787?
CVE-2018-11787 is classified under CWE-287: Improper Authentication (When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2018-11787?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.apache.karaf'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x",
  "modified" : "2022-09-14T22:34:31Z",
  "published" : "2019-01-07T19:14:51Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2018-11787" ],
  "summary" : "Improper Authentication in Apache Karaf",
  "details" : "In Apache Karaf version prior to 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1, when the webconsole feature is installed in Karaf, it is available at .../system/console and requires authentication to access it. One part of the console is a Gogo shell/console that gives access to the command line console of Karaf via a Web browser, and when navigated to it is available at .../system/console/gogo. Trying to go directly to that URL does require authentication. And optional bundle that some applications use is the Pax Web Extender Whiteboard, it is part of the pax-war feature and perhaps others. When it is installed, the Gogo console becomes available at another URL .../gogo/, and that URL is not secured giving access to the Karaf console to unauthenticated users. A mitigation for the issue is to manually stop/uninstall Gogo plugin bundle that is installed with the webconsole feature, although of course this removes the console from the .../system/console application, not only from the unauthenticated endpoint. One could also stop/uninstall the Pax Web Extender Whiteboard, but other components/applications may require it and so their functionality would be reduced/compromised.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.0.9"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.0.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.0.9"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "4.1.0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "4.1.1"
      } ]
    } ],
    "versions" : [ "4.1.0" ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-11787"
  }, {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/KARAF-4993"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/d9ba4c3104ba32225646879a057b75b54430f349c246c85469037d3c@%3Cdev.karaf.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://karaf.apache.org/security/cve-2018-11787.txt"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-287" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2020-06-16T21:32:22Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : null
  }
}