CVE-2018-11770
org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.10 and org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.11 Improper Authentication vulnerability
From version 1.3.0 onward, Apache Spark's standalone master exposes a REST API for job submission, in addition to the submission mechanism used by spark-submit. In standalone, the config property 'spark.authenticate.secret' establishes a shared secret for authenticating requests to submit jobs via spark-submit. However, the REST API does not use this or any other authentication mechanism, and this is not adequately documented. In this case, a user would be able to run a driver program without authenticating, but not launch executors, using the REST API. This REST API is also used by Mesos, when set up to run in cluster mode (i.e., when also running MesosClusterDispatcher), for job submission. Future versions of Spark will improve documentation on these points, and prohibit setting 'spark.authenticate.secret' when running the REST APIs, to make this clear. Future versions will also disable the REST API by default in the standalone master by changing the default value of 'spark.master.rest.enabled' to 'false'.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
From version 1.3.0 onward, Apache Spark's standalone master exposes a REST API for job submission, in addition to the submission mechanism used by spark-submit. In standalone, the config property 'spark.authenticate.secret' establishes a shared secret for authenticating requests to submit jobs via spark-submit. However, the REST API does not use this or any other authentication mechanism, and this is not adequately documented. In this case, a user would be able to run a driver program without authenticating, but not launch executors, using the REST API. This REST API is also used by Mesos, when set up to run in cluster mode (i.e., when also running MesosClusterDispatcher), for job submission. Future versions of Spark will improve documentation on these points, and prohibit setting 'spark.authenticate.secret' when running the REST APIs, to make this clear. Future versions will also disable the REST API by default in the standalone master by changing the default value of 'spark.master.rest.enabled' to 'false'.
- Record
CVE-2018-11770- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - CVSS 2.0
- 4.9 Medium
AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
From version 1.3.0 onward, Apache Spark's standalone master exposes a REST API for job submission, in addition to the submission mechanism used by spark-submit. In standalone, the config property 'spark.authenticate.secret' establishes a shared secret for authenticating requests to submit jobs via spark-submit. However, the REST API does not use this or any other authentication mechanism, and this is not adequately documented. In this case, a user would be able to run a driver program without authenticating, but not launch executors, using the REST API. This REST API is also used by Mesos, when set up to run in cluster mode (i.e., when also running MesosClusterDispatcher), for job submission. Future versions of Spark will improve documentation on these points, and prohibit setting 'spark.authenticate.secret' when running the REST APIs, to make this clear. Future versions will also disable the REST API by default in the standalone master by changing the default value of 'spark.master.rest.enabled' to 'false'.
- Record
CVE-2018-11770- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2018-0781 No score
From version 1.3.0 onward, Apache Spark's standalone master exposes a REST API for job submission, in addition to the submission mechanism used by spark-submit. In standalone, the config property 'spark.authenticate.secret' establishes a shared secret for authenticating requests to submit jobs via spark-submit. However, the REST API does not use this or any other authentication mechanism, and this is not adequately documented. In this case, a user would be able to run a driver program without authenticating, but not launch executors, using the REST API. This REST API is also used by Mesos, when set up to run in cluster mode (i.e., when also running MesosClusterDispatcher), for job submission. Future versions of Spark will improve documentation on these points, and prohibit setting 'spark.authenticate.secret' when running the REST APIs, to make this clear. Future versions will also disable the REST API by default in the standalone master by changing the default value of 'spark.master.rest.enabled' to 'false'.
- Record
EUVD-2018-0781- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-w4r4-65mg-45x2
org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.10 and org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.11 Improper Authentication vulnerability
From version 1.3.0 onward, Apache Spark's standalone master exposes a REST API for job submission, in addition to the submission mechanism used by spark-submit. In standalone, the config property 'spark.authenticate.secret' establishes a shared secret for authenticating requests to submit jobs via spark-submit. However, the REST API does not use this or any other authentication mechanism, and this is not adequately documented. In this case, a user would be able to run a driver program without authenticating, but not launch executors, using the REST API. This REST API is also used by Mesos, when set up to run in cluster mode (i.e., when also running MesosClusterDispatcher), for job submission. Future versions of Spark will improve documentation on these points, and prohibit setting 'spark.authenticate.secret' when running the REST APIs, to make this clear. Future 2.4.x versions will also disable the REST API by default in the standalone master by changing the default value of 'spark.master.rest.enabled' to 'false'.
- Record
GHSA-w4r4-65mg-45x2- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
From version 1.3.0 onward, Apache Spark's standalone master exposes a REST API for job submission, in addition to the submission mechanism used by spark-submit. In standalone, the config property 'spark.authenticate.secret' establishes a shared secret for authenticating requests to submit jobs via spark-submit. However, the REST API does not use this or any other authentication mechanism, and this is not adequately documented. In this case, a user would be able to run a driver program without authenticating, but not launch executors, using the REST API. This REST API is also used by Mesos, when set up to run in cluster mode (i.e., when also running MesosClusterDispatcher), for job submission. Future versions of Spark will improve documentation on these points, and prohibit setting 'spark.authenticate.secret' when running the REST APIs, to make this clear. Future versions will also disable the REST API by default in the standalone master by changing the default value of 'spark.master.rest.enabled' to 'false'.
- Record
CVE-2018-11770- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-w4r4-65mg-45x2
org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.10 and org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.11 Improper Authentication vulnerability
From version 1.3.0 onward, Apache Spark's standalone master exposes a REST API for job submission, in addition to the submission mechanism used by spark-submit. In standalone, the config property 'spark.authenticate.secret' establishes a shared secret for authenticating requests to submit jobs via spark-submit. However, the REST API does not use this or any other authentication mechanism, and this is not adequately documented. In this case, a user would be able to run a driver program without authenticating, but not launch executors, using the REST API. This REST API is also used by Mesos, when set up to run in cluster mode (i.e., when also running MesosClusterDispatcher), for job submission. Future versions of Spark will improve documentation on these points, and prohibit setting 'spark.authenticate.secret' when running the REST APIs, to make this clear. Future 2.4.x versions will also disable the REST API by default in the standalone master by changing the default value of 'spark.master.rest.enabled' to 'false'.
- Record
GHSA-w4r4-65mg-45x2- CVSS 3.1
- 4.2 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N - Weakness
- CWE-287
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.11Maven |
1.0.0 to 2.3.2 | None known |
org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.10Maven |
1.0.0 to 2.2.2 | None known |
org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.11Maven |
1.0.0 to 2.3.2, plus listed versions 1.2.01.2.11.2.21.3.01.3.1 Show 23 moreShow less1.4.01.4.11.5.01.5.11.5.21.6.01.6.11.6.21.6.32.0.02.0.0-preview2.0.12.0.22.1.02.1.12.1.22.1.32.2.02.2.12.2.22.2.32.3.02.3.1 |
None known |
org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.10Maven |
1.0.0 to 2.2.2, plus listed versions 1.0.11.0.21.1.01.1.11.2.0 Show 23 moreShow less1.2.11.2.21.3.01.3.11.4.01.4.11.5.01.5.11.5.21.6.01.6.11.6.21.6.32.0.02.0.0-preview2.0.12.0.22.1.02.1.12.1.22.1.32.2.02.2.1 |
None known |
Public exploits
Links only. Every CVE stores no exploit code.
| Source | Link | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Metasploit | Apache Spark Unauthenticated Command Execution | 2017-12-12 |
| PoC in GitHub | ivanitlearning/CVE-2018-11770 | 2019-10-09 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, Metasploit, NVD, OSV, PoC in GitHub |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2018-11770 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.2) in Apache Spark, published August 13, 2018. Public exploit code exists. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 66.1%, the 99th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
spark.apache.org/security.html
lists.apache.org/thread.html/bd8e51314041451a2acd720e9223fc1c15a263ccacb396a75b1fc485%40%3Cdev.spark.apache.org%3E
securityfocus.com/bid/105097
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-11770
web.archive.org/web/20200227114942/http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105097
github.com/advisories/GHSA-w4r4-65mg-45x2