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MEDIUM severity

CVE-2018-16856

MEDIUM

CVE-2018-16856 is a medium-severity (CVSS 5.5) CWE-532 vulnerability in openstack octavia. O3 Security detects and blocks CVE-2018-16856 exploitation at runtime via eBPF exploit-chain detection and L7 egress monitoring, even on unpatched systems.

In a default Red Hat Openstack Platform Director installation, openstack-octavia before versions openstack-octavia 2.0.2-5 and openstack-octavia-3.0.1-0.20181009115732 creates log files…

Published
Mar 26, 2019
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
Affected
2 products
Patched
See advisory
Exploits
None indexed
Exploitation data as of Jun 17, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

Description

In a default Red Hat Openstack Platform Director installation, openstack-octavia before versions openstack-octavia 2.0.2-5 and openstack-octavia-3.0.1-0.20181009115732 creates log files that are readable by all users. Sensitive information such as private keys can appear in these log files allowing for information exposure.

Affected Products

2 products · 5 configurations
Application
octaviaopenstack
≥ 3.0.0 && < 3.0.1-0.20181009115732
range
Application
openstackredhat
3 versions
121314

Detection & mitigation playbook

Vendor / appliance
  1. Detect

    Inventory every openstack octavia deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for exploitation at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.

  2. Fix

    Apply the openstack octavia security patch or hotfix for CVE-2018-16856 on the affected version, following the vendor advisory for your exact build.

  3. Workarounds

    Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.

  4. How O3 protects you

    O3 detects and blocks CVE-2018-16856 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.

Tailored to CVE-2018-16856. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.

Frequently Asked Questions

In a default Red Hat Openstack Platform Director installation, openstack-octavia before versions openstack-octavia 2.0.2-5 and openstack-octavia-3.0.1-0.20181009115732 creates log files that are readable by all users. Sensitive information such as private keys can appear in these log files allowing for information exposure.
O3 Security · Runtime Protection

Is CVE-2018-16856 being exploited in your environment?

O3's eBPF runtime sensors and L7 egress monitoring detect and block the CVE-2018-16856 exploit chain at execution — protecting unpatched and end-of-life systems until the vendor patch is applied.