What is CVE-2018-17187?A high-severity flaw in Qpid Proton-J, explained.
CVE-2018-17187 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.4) in Qpid Proton-J from Apache, published on 13 November 2018. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 2.5%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.
Published 13 November 2018. Record last updated 31 January 2019. We keep this page's data up to date.
What is CVE-2018-17187? In plain terms.
It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data and change data.
The Apache Qpid Proton-J transport includes an optional wrapper layer to perform TLS, enabled by use of the 'transport.ssl(...)' methods. Unless a verification mode was explicitly configured, client and server modes previously defaulted as documented to not verifying a peer certificate, with options to configure this explicitly or select a certificate verification mode with or without hostname verification being performed. The latter hostname verifying mode was not implemented in Apache Qpid Proton-J versions 0.3 to 0.29.0, with attempts to use it resulting in an exception. This left only the option to verify the certificate is trusted, leaving such a client vulnerable to Man In The Middle (MITM) attack. Uses of the Proton-J protocol engine which do not utilise the optional transport TLS wrapper are not impacted, e.g. usage within Qpid JMS. Uses of Proton-J utilising the optional transport TLS wrapper layer that wish to enable hostname verification must be upgraded to version 0.30.0 or later and utilise the VerifyMode#VERIFY_PEER_NAME configuration, which is now the default for client mode usage unless configured otherwise.
What kind of flaw is it?
- CWE-295Improper Certificate Validation
How an attack on it works
Read straight from its severity rating, translated out of the shorthand.
- Where an attacker can beAnywhere on the internet
- How hard it is to pull offHard: conditions must line up
- Login needed firstNo login needed
- Does someone have to clickNo, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker getsCan read data and change data
Severity vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Is CVE-2018-17187 being exploited? Not that we know of.
It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 2.5%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.
Timeline
- Published
- Record last updated
CVE-2018-17187 scores 46. Action: Plan remediation.
We keep the score of every published flaw up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, and evidence that criminals are actually using it counts most. In order:
- Evidence it is being exploitedBiggest factor
- How severe it isStrong factor
- How widely exposed it isSmaller factor
- Threat activity around itSmaller factor
85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score.
When CVE-2018-17187 matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.
See your own ranked list →Who is affected by CVE-2018-17187? One product.
The published record lists 1 product from 1 vendor. If you run one of these, check your version, then go to the fix below.
- Application
Qpid Proton-J
by Apache
Affected versions0.3 to 0.29.0
How do I fix CVE-2018-17187? Four steps.
- Check whether you run itCompare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
- Apply the vendor’s fixInstall the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisories and patch notes first in the list.
- If you can’t patch todayFollow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
- Keep an eye on itTrack the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.
Does CVE-2018-17187 affect you? We'll keep checking.
Looking flaws up one at a time doesn't scale. Tell us what you run once, and we tell you which flaws matter to you, in what order, and keep watching for new ones.
- Tell us what you runPick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- We match it to every flawOver 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- Ranked by real-world riskA 0 to 100 score, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- Told as soon as we knowAn alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.
Free plan, no card needed. Nothing to install.
1 new flaw affects software Acme tracks
The Apache Qpid Proton-J transport includes an optional wrapper layer to perform TLS, enabled by use of the 'transport.ssl(...)' methods. Unless a verificati...
- Matched to
- Qpid Proton-J on Acme's software list
- What to do
- Plan in the vendor’s update
Sent to the alert recipients Acme chose. Also in the app and to Acme's webhook.
CVE-2018-17187 is a high-severity flaw in Qpid Proton-J from Apache, published on 13 November 2018. It can be attacked from anywhere on the internet without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can read data and change data.
It scores 7.4 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is high. Our risk score for CVE-2018-17187 is 46 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.
It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 2.5%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.
For Qpid Proton-J from Apache: 0.3 to 0.29.0.
Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.