CVE-2018-17856: Joomla/framework Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-9m72-pw47-292w
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CVSS 7.2
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2018-17856 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.2) remote code execution vulnerability (General Security Weakness) affecting Joomla/framework libraries in the Packagist ecosystem. The issue involves joomla rce vulnerability. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 3.8.13.

CVE-2018-17856 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2018-17856
GHSA Identifier GHSA-9m72-pw47-292w
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.2
CWE Classification General Security Weakness
Affected Product Joomla/framework
Package Ecosystem Packagist
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.2

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

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required High (PR:H)
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-2018-17856

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

joomla/framework fixed: 3.8.13 
Upgrade joomla/framework to 3.8.13
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

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

inspect dependencies for joomla/framework

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2018-17856, inspect your project dependencies for Joomla/framework:

inspect dependencies for joomla/framework

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Joomla/framework in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 3.8.13), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under General Security Weakness. In Joomla/framework, 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

An issue was discovered in Joomla! before 3.8.13. com_joomlaupdate allows the execution of arbitrary code. The default ACL config enabled the ability of Administrator-level users to access com_joomlaupdate and trigger code execution.

CVE-2018-17856 Affected Joomla/framework Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
3.8.13
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
joomla/framework
 Packagist
≥ 2.5.4
< 3.8.13
3.8.13

References

NVD — CVE-2018-17856 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17856
Joomla/framework Security Information SECURITY
https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/752-20181002-core-inadequate-default-access-level-for-com-joomlaupdate.html
Joomla/framework Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/joomla/joomla-cms
Joomla/framework Security Information SECURITY
https://web.archive.org/web/20210124211736/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105559
Joomla/framework Security Information SECURITY
https://web.archive.org/web/20211208125303/http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041914

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-17856?
CVE-2018-17856 is a security vulnerability in Joomla/framework involving Joomla RCE Vulnerability under General Security Weakness.
Which Joomla/framework versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 3.8.13 across affected packages: joomla/framework.
What version fixes CVE-2018-17856?
Upgrading to 3.8.13 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is joomla/framework affected?
Yes, joomla/framework is affected in releases prior to 3.8.13. Upgrade your dependency to 3.8.13 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2018-17856?
CVE-2018-17856 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.2 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2018-17856?
CVE-2018-17856 is classified under General Security Weakness.
How can I check Packagist dependencies for CVE-2018-17856?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for joomla/framework'. 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-9m72-pw47-292w",
  "modified" : "2023-07-21T18:11:26Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-13T01:19:30Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2018-17856" ],
  "summary" : "Joomla RCE Vulnerability",
  "details" : "An issue was discovered in Joomla! before 3.8.13. com_joomlaupdate allows the execution of arbitrary code. The default ACL config enabled the ability of Administrator-level users to access com_joomlaupdate and trigger code execution.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Packagist",
      "name" : "joomla/framework"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "2.5.4"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "3.8.13"
      } ]
    } ],
    "database_specific" : {
      "last_known_affected_version_range" : "<= 3.8.12"
    }
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17856"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://developer.joomla.org/security-centre/752-20181002-core-inadequate-default-access-level-for-com-joomlaupdate.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/joomla/joomla-cms"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://web.archive.org/web/20210124211736/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105559"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://web.archive.org/web/20211208125303/http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041914"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2023-07-21T18:11:26Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2018-10-09T21:29:00Z"
  }
}