CVE-2019-11819: Opencms core Alkacon OpenCMS CSV Injection Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-q693-v7qf-p4xj
Share
CVSS 7.8
CWE-1236
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2019-11819 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.8) alkacon opencms csv injection vulnerability (CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File) affecting Opencms core libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The issue involves alkacon opencms csv injection via new user module. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 11.0.0.

CVE-2019-11819 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2019-11819
GHSA Identifier GHSA-q693-v7qf-p4xj
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.8
CWE Classification CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File
Affected Product Opencms core
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.8

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

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

How to Fix CVE-2019-11819

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Opencms core 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.opencms:opencms-core fixed: 11.0.0 
<dependency>
    <groupId>org.opencms</groupId>
    <artifactId>opencms-core</artifactId>
    <version>11.0.0</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.opencms

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2019-11819, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.opencms

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Opencms core in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 11.0.0), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.opencms 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-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File, where the product saves user-provided information into a comma-separated value (csv) file, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as a command when the file is opened by a spreadsheet product. In Opencms core, 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

Alkacon OpenCMS v10.5.4 and before is affected by CSV (aka Excel Macro) Injection in the module New User (/opencms/system/workplace/admin/accounts/user_new.jsp) via the First Name or Last Name.

CVE-2019-11819 Affected Opencms core Versions

1 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
11.0.0
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
org.opencms:opencms-core
maven/org.opencms/opencms-core
Maven
< 11.0.0
11.0.0

References

NVD — CVE-2019-11819 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-11819
Opencms core Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/alkacon/opencms-core/issues/636
Opencms core Source Repository REPOSITORY
https://github.com/alkacon/opencms-core
Opencms core Security Information SECURITY
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/05/05/2

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-11819?
CVE-2019-11819 is a security vulnerability in Opencms core involving Alkacon OpenCMS CSV Injection via New User module under CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File.
Which Opencms core versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 11.0.0 across affected packages: org.opencms:opencms-core.
What version fixes CVE-2019-11819?
Upgrading to 11.0.0 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is opencms-core affected?
Yes, org.opencms:opencms-core is affected in releases prior to 11.0.0. Upgrade your dependency to 11.0.0 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2019-11819?
CVE-2019-11819 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2019-11819?
CVE-2019-11819 is classified under CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File (The product saves user-provided information into a Comma-Separated Value (CSV) file, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as a command when the file is opened by a spreadsheet product.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2019-11819?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree -Dincludes=org.opencms'. 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-q693-v7qf-p4xj",
  "modified" : "2025-06-19T18:40:42Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-24T16:45:21Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2019-11819" ],
  "summary" : "Alkacon OpenCMS CSV Injection via New User module",
  "details" : "Alkacon OpenCMS v10.5.4 and before is affected by CSV (aka Excel Macro) Injection in the module New User (/opencms/system/workplace/admin/accounts/user_new.jsp) via the First Name or Last Name.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Maven",
      "name" : "org.opencms:opencms-core"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "11.0.0"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-11819"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/alkacon/opencms-core/issues/636"
  }, {
    "type" : "PACKAGE",
    "url" : "https://github.com/alkacon/opencms-core"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/05/05/2"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-1236" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-06-19T18:40:41Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2019-05-08T16:29:00Z"
  }
}