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CVE-2018-11786

Improper Privilege Management in Apache Karaf

8.8 HighFix available

In Apache Karaf prior to 4.2.0 release, if the sshd service in Karaf is left on so an administrator can manage the running instance, any user with rights to the Karaf console can pivot and read/write any file on the file system to which the Karaf process user has access. This can be locked down a bit by using chroot to change the root directory to protect files outside of the Karaf install directory; it can be further locked down by defining a security manager policy that limits file system access to those directories beneath the Karaf home that are necessary for the system to run. However, this still allows anyone with ssh access to the Karaf process to read and write a large number of files as the Karaf process user.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

1.90%Down 0.6 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 8.8

In Apache Karaf prior to 4.2.0 release, if the sshd service in Karaf is left on so an administrator can manage the running instance, any user with rights to the Karaf console can pivot and read/write any file on the file system to which the Karaf process user has access. This can be locked down a bit by using chroot to change the root directory to protect files outside of the Karaf install directory; it can be further locked down by defining a security manager policy that limits file system access to those directories beneath the Karaf home that are necessary for the system to run. However, this still allows anyone with ssh access to the Karaf process to read and write a large number of files as the Karaf process user.

Record
CVE-2018-11786
CVSS 3.0
8.8 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
9.0 HighAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
Weakness
CWE-269
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

In Apache Karaf prior to 4.2.0 release, if the sshd service in Karaf is left on so an administrator can manage the running instance, any user with rights to the Karaf console can pivot and read/write any file on the file system to which the Karaf process user has access. This can be locked down a bit by using chroot to change the root directory to protect files outside of the Karaf install directory; it can be further locked down by defining a security manager policy that limits file system access to those directories beneath the Karaf home that are necessary for the system to run. However, this still allows anyone with ssh access to the Karaf process to read and write a large number of files as the Karaf process user.

Record
CVE-2018-11786
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2018-0805 No score

In Apache Karaf prior to 4.2.0 release, if the sshd service in Karaf is left on so an administrator can manage the running instance, any user with rights to the Karaf console can pivot and read/write any file on the file system to which the Karaf process user has access. This can be locked down a bit by using chroot to change the root directory to protect files outside of the Karaf install directory; it can be further locked down by defining a security manager policy that limits file system access to those directories beneath the Karaf home that are necessary for the system to run. However, this still allows anyone with ssh access to the Karaf process to read and write a large number of files as the Karaf process user.

Record
EUVD-2018-0805
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-9448-c9wq-jg9v 8.8

Improper Privilege Management in Apache Karaf

In Apache Karaf prior to 4.2.0 release, if the sshd service in Karaf is left on so an administrator can manage the running instance, any user with rights to the Karaf console can pivot and read/write any file on the file system to which the Karaf process user has access. This can be locked down a bit by using chroot to change the root directory to protect files outside of the Karaf install directory; it can be further locked down by defining a security manager policy that limits file system access to those directories beneath the Karaf home that are necessary for the system to run. However, this still allows anyone with ssh access to the Karaf process to read and write a large number of files as the Karaf process user.

Record
GHSA-9448-c9wq-jg9v
CVSS 3.0
8.8 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-269
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 8.8

In Apache Karaf prior to 4.2.0 release, if the sshd service in Karaf is left on so an administrator can manage the running instance, any user with rights to the Karaf console can pivot and read/write any file on the file system to which the Karaf process user has access. This can be locked down a bit by using chroot to change the root directory to protect files outside of the Karaf install directory; it can be further locked down by defining a security manager policy that limits file system access to those directories beneath the Karaf home that are necessary for the system to run. However, this still allows anyone with ssh access to the Karaf process to read and write a large number of files as the Karaf process user.

Record
CVE-2018-11786
CVSS 3.0
8.8 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-9448-c9wq-jg9v 8.8

Improper Privilege Management in Apache Karaf

In Apache Karaf prior to 4.2.0 release, if the sshd service in Karaf is left on so an administrator can manage the running instance, any user with rights to the Karaf console can pivot and read/write any file on the file system to which the Karaf process user has access. This can be locked down a bit by using chroot to change the root directory to protect files outside of the Karaf install directory; it can be further locked down by defining a security manager policy that limits file system access to those directories beneath the Karaf home that are necessary for the system to run. However, this still allows anyone with ssh access to the Karaf process to read and write a large number of files as the Karaf process user.

Record
GHSA-9448-c9wq-jg9v
CVSS 3.0
8.8 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-269
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf
Maven
before 4.2.0
4.2.0
org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf
Maven
before 4.2.0, plus listed versions
2.0.02.1.02.1.12.1.22.1.3
Show 45 moreShow less
2.1.42.1.52.1.62.2.02.2.12.2.102.2.112.2.22.2.32.2.42.2.52.2.62.2.72.2.82.2.92.3.02.3.12.3.102.3.112.3.122.3.22.3.32.3.42.3.52.3.62.3.72.3.82.3.92.4.02.4.12.4.22.4.32.4.43.0.03.0.0.RC13.0.13.0.103.0.23.0.33.0.43.0.53.0.63.0.73.0.83.0.9
4.2.0

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2018-11786 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.8) in Apache Karaf, published September 18, 2018. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.90%, the 79th percentile. Fixed in org.apache.karaf:apache-karaf 4.2.0.

References

This page doesn't list everything

Left out here: 23 versions. The JSON record has them.

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