CVE-2018-11138 Quest KACE System Management Appliance: command or code injection
In plain words: The program treats text it receives as instructions instead of plain data. The attacker can run commands on the machine — often the whole device is taken over.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Apr 15, 2022
What to do
- Install Quest's security update for KACE System Management Appliance. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- Quest KACE System Management Appliance Remote Command Execution Vulnerability
- Product
- Quest KACE System Management Appliance
- CISA description
- The '/common/download_agent_installer.php' script in the Quest KACE System Management Appliance is accessible by anonymous users and can be abused to perform remote code execution.
- Type of flaw
- Command or code injection (CWE-78)
- Confirmed exploited
- Mar 25, 2022 — known to be used in ransomware attacks
- US federal patch deadline
- Apr 15, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2018-11138 ·
Questions about CVE-2018-11138
Is CVE-2018-11138 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2018-11138 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 25, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks, including by ransomware groups.
How do I fix CVE-2018-11138?
Install Quest's security update for KACE System Management Appliance. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2018-11138?
Only if you use Quest KACE System Management Appliance. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.