CVE-2018-7544
** DISPUTED ** A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in...
A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in OpenVPN through 2.4.5. When this interface is enabled over TCP without a password, and when no other clients are connected to this interface, attackers can execute arbitrary management commands, obtain sensitive information, or cause a denial of service (SIGTERM) by triggering XMLHttpRequest actions in a web browser. This is demonstrated by a multipart/form-data POST to http://localhost:23000 with a "signal SIGTERM" command in a TEXTAREA element. NOTE: The vendor disputes that this is a vulnerability. They state that this is the result of improper configuration of the OpenVPN instance rather than an intrinsic vulnerability, and now more explicitly warn against such configurations in both the management-interface documentation, and with a runtime warning
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
9.1
A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in OpenVPN through 2.4.5. When this interface is enabled over TCP without a password, and when no other clients are connected to this interface, attackers can execute arbitrary management commands, obtain sensitive information, or cause a denial of service (SIGTERM) by triggering XMLHttpRequest actions in a web browser. This is demonstrated by a multipart/form-data POST to http://localhost:23000 with a "signal SIGTERM" command in a TEXTAREA element. NOTE: The vendor disputes that this is a vulnerability. They state that this is the result of improper configuration of the OpenVPN instance rather than an intrinsic vulnerability, and now more explicitly warn against such configurations in both the management-interface documentation, and with a runtime warning
- Record
CVE-2018-7544- CVSS 3.0
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 6.4 Medium
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-134
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in OpenVPN through 2.4.5. When this interface is enabled over TCP without a password, and when no other clients are connected to this interface, attackers can execute arbitrary management commands, obtain sensitive information, or cause a denial of service (SIGTERM) by triggering XMLHttpRequest actions in a web browser. This is demonstrated by a multipart/form-data POST to http://localhost:23000 with a "signal SIGTERM" command in a TEXTAREA element. NOTE: The vendor disputes that this is a vulnerability. They state that this is the result of improper configuration of the OpenVPN instance rather than an intrinsic vulnerability, and now more explicitly warn against such configurations in both the management-interface documentation, and with a runtime warning
- Record
CVE-2018-7544- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2018-19271 No score
A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in OpenVPN through 2.4.5. When this interface is enabled over TCP without a password, and when no other clients are connected to this interface, attackers can execute arbitrary management commands, obtain sensitive information, or cause a denial of service (SIGTERM) by triggering XMLHttpRequest actions in a web browser. This is demonstrated by a multipart/form-data POST to http://localhost:23000 with a "signal SIGTERM" command in a TEXTAREA element. NOTE: The vendor disputes that this is a vulnerability. They state that this is the result of improper configuration of the OpenVPN instance rather than an intrinsic vulnerability, and now more explicitly warn against such configurations in both the management-interface documentation, and with a runtime warning
- Record
EUVD-2018-19271- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-9vqg-v7fx-9jvr
9.1
** DISPUTED ** A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in...
** DISPUTED ** A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in OpenVPN through 2.4.5. When this interface is enabled over TCP without a password, and when no other clients are connected to this interface, attackers can execute arbitrary management commands, obtain sensitive information, or cause a denial of service (SIGTERM) by triggering XMLHttpRequest actions in a web browser. This is demonstrated by a multipart/form-data POST to http://localhost:23000 with a "signal SIGTERM" command in a TEXTAREA element. NOTE: The vendor disputes that this is a vulnerability. They state that this is the result of improper configuration of the OpenVPN instance rather than an intrinsic vulnerability, and now more explicitly warn against such configurations in both the management-interface documentation, and with a runtime warning.
- Record
GHSA-9vqg-v7fx-9jvr- CVSS 3.0
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-134
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
9.1
A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in OpenVPN through 2.4.5. When this interface is enabled over TCP without a password, and when no other clients are connected to this interface, attackers can execute arbitrary management commands, obtain sensitive information, or cause a denial of service (SIGTERM) by triggering XMLHttpRequest actions in a web browser. This is demonstrated by a multipart/form-data POST to http://localhost:23000 with a "signal SIGTERM" command in a TEXTAREA element. NOTE: The vendor disputes that this is a vulnerability. They state that this is the result of improper configuration of the OpenVPN instance rather than an intrinsic vulnerability, and now more explicitly warn against such configurations in both the management-interface documentation, and with a runtime warning
- Record
CVE-2018-7544- CVSS 3.0
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2018-7544
9.1
A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in OpenVPN through 2.4.5. When this interface is enabled over TCP without a password, and when no other clients are connected to this interface, attackers can execute arbitrary management commands, obtain sensitive information, or cause a denial of service (SIGTERM) by triggering XMLHttpRequest actions in a web browser. This is demonstrated by a multipart/form-data POST to http://localhost:23000 with a "signal SIGTERM" command in a TEXTAREA element. NOTE: The vendor disputes that this is a vulnerability. They state that this is the result of improper configuration of the OpenVPN instance rather than an intrinsic vulnerability, and now more explicitly warn against such configurations in both the management-interface documentation, and with a runtime warning
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2018-7544- CVSS 3.0
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Show 6 moreShow less
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2018-7544
9.1
A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in OpenVPN through 2.4.5. When this interface is enabled over TCP without a password, and when no other clients are connected to this interface, attackers can execute arbitrary management commands, obtain sensitive information, or cause a denial of service (SIGTERM) by triggering XMLHttpRequest actions in a web browser. This is demonstrated by a multipart/form-data POST to http://localhost:23000 with a "signal SIGTERM" command in a TEXTAREA element. NOTE: The vendor disputes that this is a vulnerability. They state that this is the result of improper configuration of the OpenVPN instance rather than an intrinsic vulnerability, and now more explicitly warn against such configurations in both the management-interface documentation, and with a runtime warning
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2018-7544- CVSS 3.0
- 9.1 Critical
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2021:0734-1 No score
Security update for openvpn
This update for openvpn fixes the following issues:
- CVE-2020-15078: Fixed authentication bypass with deferred authentication (bsc#1185279).
- CVE-2020-11810: Fixed race condition between allocating peer-id and initializing data channel key (bsc#1169925).
- CVE-2018-7544: Fixed cross-protocol scripting issue that was discovered in the management interface (bsc#1085803).
This update was imported from the SUSE:SLE-15:Update update project.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2021:0734-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:11692-1 No score
openvpn-2.5.4-2.1 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the openvpn-2.5.4-2.1 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:11692-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVSUSE-SU-2021:14723-1 No score
Security update for openvpn-openssl1
This update for openvpn-openssl1 fixes the following issues:
- CVE-2020-15078: Fixed authentication bypass with deferred authentication (bsc#1185279).
- CVE-2018-7544: Fixed cross-protocol scripting issue that was discovered in the management interface (bsc#1085803).
- Record
SUSE-SU-2021:14723-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVSUSE-SU-2021:1576-1 No score
Security update for openvpn
This update for openvpn fixes the following issues:
- CVE-2020-15078: Fixed authentication bypass with deferred authentication (bsc#1185279).
- CVE-2018-7544: Fixed cross-protocol scripting issue that was discovered in the management interface (bsc#1085803).
- Record
SUSE-SU-2021:1576-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVSUSE-SU-2021:1577-1 No score
Security update for openvpn
This update for openvpn fixes the following issues:
- CVE-2020-15078: Fixed authentication bypass with deferred authentication (bsc#1185279).
- CVE-2020-11810: Fixed race condition between allocating peer-id and initializing data channel key (bsc#1169925).
- CVE-2018-7544: Fixed cross-protocol scripting issue that was discovered in the management interface (bsc#1085803).
- Record
SUSE-SU-2021:1577-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openvpn-openssl1SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11-SECURITY |
before 2.3.2-0.10.9.1 | 2.3.2-0.10.9.1 |
openvpnSUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 |
before 2.3.8-16.26.1 | 2.3.8-16.26.1 |
openvpnSUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 |
before 2.3.8-16.26.1 | 2.3.8-16.26.1 |
openvpnSUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2 |
before 2.4.3-5.7.1 | 2.4.3-5.7.1 |
openvpnSUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 |
before 2.4.3-5.7.1 | 2.4.3-5.7.1 |
openvpnUbuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.3.2-4ubuntu12.3.2-5ubuntu12.3.2-7ubuntu12.3.2-7ubuntu22.3.2-7ubuntu3 Show 4 moreShow less2.3.2-7ubuntu3.12.3.2-7ubuntu3.22.3.2-7ubuntu3.2+esm12.3.2-7ubuntu3.2+esm2 |
None known |
openvpnUbuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.3.7-1ubuntu12.3.7-2ubuntu12.3.8-1ubuntu12.3.10-1ubuntu12.3.10-1ubuntu2 Show 4 moreShow less2.3.10-1ubuntu2.12.3.10-1ubuntu2.22.3.10-1ubuntu2.2+esm12.3.10-1ubuntu2.2+esm2 |
None known |
openvpnUbuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 2.4.3-4ubuntu12.4.4-1ubuntu12.4.4-2ubuntu12.4.4-2ubuntu1.12.4.4-2ubuntu1.2 Show 5 moreShow less2.4.4-2ubuntu1.32.4.4-2ubuntu1.52.4.4-2ubuntu1.62.4.4-2ubuntu1.72.4.4-2ubuntu1.7+esm1 |
None known |
openvpnopenSUSE:Leap 15.2 |
before 2.4.3-lp152.6.3.1 | 2.4.3-lp152.6.3.1 |
openvpnopenSUSE:Tumbleweed |
before 2.5.4-2.1 | 2.5.4-2.1 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2018-7544 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.1) in Openvpn, published March 16, 2018. Its validity is disputed. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.79%, the 78th percentile. Fixed in openvpn-openssl1 2.3.2-0.10.9.1.
References
blog.0xlabs.com/2018/03/openvpn-remote-information-disclosure.html
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-7544
github.com/advisories/GHSA-9vqg-v7fx-9jvr
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2018-7544
suse.com/support/update/announcement/2021/suse-su-202114723-1
bugzilla.suse.com/1085803
Show 10 moreShow less
bugzilla.suse.com/1185279
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-7544
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-15078
suse.com/support/update/announcement/2021/suse-su-20211576-1
suse.com/support/update/announcement/2021/suse-su-20211577-1
bugzilla.suse.com/1169925
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-11810
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-7544
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-7544
lists.opensuse.org/archives/list/[email protected]/thread/C5VK3H4AGK4ZRCLIB2D3IB7SS5RI4AZK