CVE-2018-11776
HIGHCVE-2018-11776 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.1) remote code execution vulnerability in org.apache.struts:struts2-core. 39 public exploit references exist, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2018-11776 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Apache Struts vulnerable to remote command execution (RCE) due to improper input validation
Exploitation Status
Actively exploited in the wild
- CISA’s SSVC triage classifies this CVE as under active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2018-11776.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) is a daily probability model maintained by FIRST.org. It estimates the likelihood a CVE will be exploited in production environments within the next 30 days, derived from real-world threat intelligence signals.
How urgent is this, really
CVE-2018-11776 plotted by exploitation likelihood (EPSS) against impact (CVSS). The shaded corner — EPSS 50%+ and CVSS 7.0+ — is where this CVE sits: patch-first territory.
Where this sits among everything scored
Of 368,770 CVEs with a current EPSS score, this one falls in the ≥ 90% band (highlighted). Real counts from FIRST.org, not a sample — log-scaled since the landscape is heavily right-skewed.
Real-World Exposure
org.apache.struts:struts2-core☕org.apache.struts:struts2-coreReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects Maven packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Apache Struts versions 2.3 to 2.3.34 and 2.5 to 2.5.16 suffer from possible Remote Code Execution when alwaysSelectFullNamespace is true (either by user or a plugin like Convention Plugin) and then: results are used with no namespace and in same time, its upper package have no or wildcard namespace and similar to results, same possibility when using url tag which doesn't have value and action set and in same time, its upper package have no or wildcard namespace.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | org.apache.struts:struts2-core | ≥ 2.0.4&&< 2.3.35 | 2.3.35 |
| ☕Maven | org.apache.struts:struts2-core | ≥ 2.5&&< 2.5.17 | 2.5.17 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Apache Struts 2.3 < 2.3.34 / 2.5 < 2.5.16 - Remote Code Execution (1)
by Mazin Ahmed · Aug 26, 2018
Apache Struts 2.3 < 2.3.34 / 2.5 < 2.5.16 - Remote Code Execution (2)
by hook-s3c · Aug 25, 2018
Apache Struts 2 - Namespace Redirect OGNL Injection (Metasploit)
by Metasploit · Sep 10, 2018
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.struts:struts2-core. O3's reachability analysis confirms whether the vulnerable code path is actually invoked in your application, so you act on real exposure instead of every transitive match.
Fix
Update org.apache.struts:struts2-core to 2.3.35 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2018-11776 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
If you can't upgrade right away: gate or disable the affected feature, validate untrusted input at the boundary, and avoid passing attacker-controlled data into the vulnerable path. O3's runtime protection blocks exploitation in production as an interim safeguard until the upgrade lands.
How O3 protects you
O3 pinpoints whether CVE-2018-11776 is reachable in your code and exactly where to fix it, then blocks exploitation in production at runtime until the patched version is deployed.
Tailored to CVE-2018-11776. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2018-11776 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2018-11776 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.