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CVE-2018-7544

** DISPUTED ** A cross-protocol scripting issue was discovered in the management interface in...

9.1 CriticalFix availableDisputed

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

1.79%Up 1.2 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

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 CriticalCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
CVSS 2.0
6.4 MediumAV: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 CriticalCVSS: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 CriticalCVSS: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 CriticalCVSS: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 CriticalCVSS: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

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
openvpn-openssl1
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11-SECURITY
before 2.3.2-0.10.9.1
2.3.2-0.10.9.1
openvpn
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5
before 2.3.8-16.26.1
2.3.8-16.26.1
openvpn
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5
before 2.3.8-16.26.1
2.3.8-16.26.1
openvpn
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2
before 2.4.3-5.7.1
2.4.3-5.7.1
openvpn
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3
before 2.4.3-5.7.1
2.4.3-5.7.1
openvpn
Ubuntu: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 less
2.3.2-7ubuntu3.12.3.2-7ubuntu3.22.3.2-7ubuntu3.2+esm12.3.2-7ubuntu3.2+esm2
None known
openvpn
Ubuntu: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 less
2.3.10-1ubuntu2.12.3.10-1ubuntu2.22.3.10-1ubuntu2.2+esm12.3.10-1ubuntu2.2+esm2
None known
openvpn
Ubuntu: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 less
2.4.4-2ubuntu1.32.4.4-2ubuntu1.52.4.4-2ubuntu1.62.4.4-2ubuntu1.72.4.4-2ubuntu1.7+esm1
None known
openvpn
openSUSE:Leap 15.2
before 2.4.3-lp152.6.3.1
2.4.3-lp152.6.3.1
openvpn
openSUSE:Tumbleweed
before 2.5.4-2.1
2.5.4-2.1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE 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

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