Apache · Struts
CVE-2018-11776
Apache Struts Remote Code Execution Vulnerability
What it is
Apache Struts versions 2.3 to 2.3.34 and 2.5 to 2.5.16 suffer from possible Remote Code Execution when alwaysSelectFullNamespace is true (either by user or a plugin like Convention Plugin) and then: results are used with no namespace and in same time, its upper package have no or wildcard namespace and similar to results, same possibility when using url tag which doesn't have value and action set and in same time, its upper package have no or wildcard namespace.
CISA: Apache Struts contains a vulnerability that allows for remote code execution under two circumstances. One, where the alwaysSelectFullNamespace option is true and the value isn't set for a result defined in underlying configurations and in same time, its upper package configuration have no or wildcard namespace. Or, using URL tag which doesn't have value and action set and in same time, its upper package configuration have no or wildcard namespace.
What to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Deadline for US federal agencies: May 3, 2022
- Added to the CISA list
- November 3, 2021
- Published
- August 22, 2018
- Severity
- High 8.1 CVSS 3.1
- Chance of attacks in the next 30 days (EPSS)
- >99.9% in the top 0.1% of all known vulnerabilities
- Weakness
- CWE-20
- More details
- NVD · CVE.org · CISA
All references (19)
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041888
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45367/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45262/
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105125
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041547
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45260/
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r6d03e45b81eab03580cf7f8bb51cb3e9a1b10a2cc0c6a2d3cc92ed0c%40%3Cannounce.…
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2018-4428296.html
- https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2020.html
- https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2019-5072801.html
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20181018-0002/
- https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/WW/S2-057
- https://psirt.global.sonicwall.com/vuln-detail/SNWLID-2018-0012
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/alert-cve-2018-11776-5072787.html
- https://lgtm.com/blog/apache_struts_CVE-2018-11776
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20180822-0001/
- http://www.arubanetworks.com/assets/alert/ARUBA-PSA-2018-005.txt
- https://github.com/hook-s3c/CVE-2018-11776-Python-PoC
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172830/Apache-Struts-Remote-Code-Execution.html
More exploited flaws from Apache
| Added | Vulnerability | Product | Severity | Attack chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 8, 2026 | Command Injection | Struts | High 8.1 | 97% |
| Mar 25, 2022 | Improper Input Validation | Struts | Critical 9.8 | >99.9% |
| Nov 3, 2021 | Remote Code Execution | Struts | Critical 9.8 | >99.9% |
| Nov 3, 2021 | Deserialization of Untrusted Data | Struts | High 8.1 | 99.4% |
| Nov 3, 2021 | Remote Code Execution | Struts | Critical 9.8 | 96% |
| Aug 4, 2026 | Missing Encryption of Sensitive Data | Tomcat | High 7.5 | 99% |
| Apr 16, 2026 | Improper Input Validation | ActiveMQ | High 8.8 | 98% |
| May 1, 2025 | Improper Escaping of Output | HTTP Server | Critical 9.1 | >99.9% |
Sources: Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (CISA, public domain), CVE records (cve.org) and EPSS (FIRST). The chance of attacks is the EPSS estimate that someone will try to exploit the flaw in the next 30 days.