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Apache Struts Remote Code Execution Vulnerability

Exploited · KEV 2021-11-03Metasploit moduleCVE-2018-11776CWE-20

Exploited since 2021-11-03. 2 of 8 rule sources name it. Our CRS test: blocked.

Edge rules
2/8
Our test
Blocked
CVSS
8.1
EPSS
100.0% Top 0.1%
Posts, 14d
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Published
2018-08-22
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… More

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.

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Ask about CVE-2018-11776: who's covered, what to patch first, how vendors compare. I cite sources and won't help with attacks.

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Severity, decoded

CVSS 3.1
High · 8.1 / 10

Exploitable over the network under specific conditions, with no privileges and no user interaction, leading to full loss of confidentiality, integrity and availability.

Over the internetNo login neededNo user actionHard to pull offFull compromise
How the score is built8 metrics
  • Attack vectorAn attacker can reach it over the internet; no access to your network needed.
    Network
  • Attack complexityThe attack only works when conditions outside the attacker's control line up.
    High
  • Privileges requiredNo account or login is needed.
    None
  • User interactionNo one has to click or open anything; the attack works on its own.
    None
  • ScopeThe damage stays within the vulnerable component.
    Unchanged
  • Confidentiality impactAn attacker can read all data the affected component holds, or the most sensitive parts of it.
    High
  • Integrity impactAn attacker can change any data or files the affected component protects.
    High
  • Availability impactAn attacker can take the component down completely or keep it from serving anyone.
    High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CISA's assessmentSSVC, from the CVE record
ExploitationActive

Attackers are exploiting this in the wild.

AutomatableNo

At least one step needs hands-on work, which slows mass attacks.

Technical impactTotal

A successful attack gives full control over the affected software or all of its data.

Public exploits

5 found
1 Metasploit3 Exploit-DB1 Scanner template0 GitHub PoCs

Links are to third-party code: never run it outside an isolated lab.

Timeline

  1. 2018-08-22
    CVE published
    CVE List
  2. 2018-08-22
    Metasploit module published
    Apache Struts 2 Namespace Redirect OGNL Injection
  3. 2018-08-25
    Exploit published on Exploit-DB
    Apache Struts 2.3 < 2.3.34 / 2.5 < 2.5.16 - Remote Code Execution (2)
  4. 2019-09-24
    OWASP CRS ships a rule
    Add CVE-2018-11776 to comments of 933160 and 933161 (Franziska Bühler)
  5. 2021-11-03
    Added to CISA KEV
    Confirmed exploitation in the wild
  6. 2023-02-14
    F5 rule names it
    Earliest entry we can see is an update
  7. 2026-11-02
    Our test: OWASP Core Rule Set blocked it
    paranoia level 1, anomaly threshold 5, default CRS settings
  8. 2026-11-02
    Our test: OWASP Core Rule Set blocked it
    paranoia level 2, anomaly threshold 5, default CRS settings

Social

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No posts seen yet on X, Bluesky, Mastodon, Hacker News or GitHub.

Vendor statements

Quoted
CloudflareWAF Managed RulesBefore feed history

The CVE predates the oldest entry in this vendor's public feed, so a rule may exist that we cannot see.

AWSAWS WAF Managed RulesBefore feed history

The CVE predates the oldest entry in this vendor's public feed, so a rule may exist that we cannot see.

Microsoft AzureFront Door and Application Gateway WAF (DRS)No public claim

We found no public statement from this vendor naming this CVE. That is not proof of no protection: generic rules may still catch it. The rule tables name CVEs but carry no dates, so Azure is left out of every time-to-rule figure.

Google CloudCloud Armor preconfigured WAF rulesBefore feed history

The CVE predates the oldest entry in this vendor's public feed, so a rule may exist that we cannot see.

FastlyNext-Gen WAF virtual patchesBefore feed history

The CVE predates the oldest entry in this vendor's public feed, so a rule may exist that we cannot see.

F5Attack signatures (Distributed Cloud WAF)1 quoteRule published

Named by 2023-02-14; the first entry is an update, so the rule may be older.

2023-02-14Updated200004474Source
Updated: signature 200004474 "JSP Expression Language Expression Injection (3) (URI)" (Server Side Code Injection, risk High), systems: Java Servlets/JSP, Apache Struts. References: CVE-2018-11776.
AkamaiApp & API Protector (Adaptive Security Engine)No public source

This vendor publishes no machine-readable rule changelog we can check.

OWASP CRSCore Rule Set (open source, used inside many WAFs)1 quoteRule published

First rule 2019-09-24, 398 days after the CVE was published.

2019-09-24New rule933160Source
Add CVE-2018-11776 to comments of 933160 and 933161 (Franziska Bühler)