Improper authentication in Apache Karaf
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 7 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA, GitHub and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-287.
Summary
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.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apache | Apache Karaf | before 3.0.9; 4.0 to before 4.0.9; 4.1 to before 4.1.1 | 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1 | Patch available | CNA |
| — | org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf (Maven) | before 3.0.9 | 3.0.9 | Patch available | GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x |
| — | org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf (Maven) | 4.0.0 to before 4.0.9 | 4.0.9 | Patch available | GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x |
| — | org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf (Maven) | 4.1.0 to before 4.1.1 | 4.1.1 | Patch available | GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x |
- Apache Karaf VendorApache Affected before 3.0.9; 4.0 to before 4.0.9; 4.1 to before 4.1.1 Fixed in 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1 Patch available CNA
- org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf (Maven) Vendor— Affected before 3.0.9 Fixed in 3.0.9 Patch available GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x
- org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf (Maven) Vendor— Affected 4.0.0 to before 4.0.9 Fixed in 4.0.9 Patch available GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x
- org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf (Maven) Vendor— Affected 4.1.0 to before 4.1.1 Fixed in 4.1.1 Patch available GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x
CPE configurations NVD · 4
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:apache:karaf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 3.0.9; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.9; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.1 | Vulnerable | Apache |
| cpe:2.3:a:apache:karaf:4.0.0:milestone1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0.0 milestone1 | Vulnerable | Apache |
| cpe:2.3:a:apache:karaf:4.0.0:milestone2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0.0 milestone2 | Vulnerable | Apache |
| cpe:2.3:a:apache:karaf:4.0.0:milestone3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0.0 milestone3 | Vulnerable | Apache |
- cpe:2.3:a:apache:karaf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 3.0.9; 4.0.0 to before 4.0.9; 4.1.0 to before 4.1.1 Vulnerable ·Apache
- cpe:2.3:a:apache:karaf:4.0.0:milestone1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0.0 milestone1 Vulnerable ·Apache
- cpe:2.3:a:apache:karaf:4.0.0:milestone2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0.0 milestone2 Vulnerable ·Apache
- cpe:2.3:a:apache:karaf:4.0.0:milestone3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0.0 milestone3 Vulnerable ·Apache
Remediation
- Fix · CNA Apache Karaf (Apache Software Foundation) Fixed in 3.0.9, 4.0.9, 4.1.1
- Fix · GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf (Maven) Fixed in 3.0.9 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf (Maven) Fixed in 4.0.9 Advisory →
- Fix · GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf (Maven) Fixed in 4.1.1 Advisory →
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat JBoss A-MQ 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat JBoss Fuse 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat JBoss Fuse Service Works 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat OpenStack Platform 10 (Newton) | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat OpenStack Platform 12 (Pike) | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat OpenStack Platform 8 (Liberty) | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat OpenStack Platform 9 (Mitaka) | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
Not affected: 2 products
- Red Hat Fuse 7
- Red Hat OpenStack Platform 13 (Queens)
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2018-11787
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x
References
Advisory 3
More Apache Karaf vulnerabilities
- TI-2022-19035 Apache Karaf: JDBC JAAS LDAP injection CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2018-08445 XML external entity injection in Apache Karaf CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-61863 Missing authorization in Apache Karaf CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-61851 Apache Karaf: Path Traversal in Config Service Allows Manager-to-Admin Privilege Escalation CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-17076 An issue was discovered in Legion of the Bouncy Castle BC Java 1.65 and 1.66. CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2026-61846 Apache Karaf: OS Command Injection in Child-Instance Launch (instance:* / InstancesMBean) CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
Sources
- CVE-2018-11787 · CVE Program
- CVE-2018-11787 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-cq9c-55r7-455x · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2018-11787 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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