How severe is CVE-2018-17186?

CVE-2018-17186 has a CVSS score of 7.2/10, rated HIGH. Immediate patching is strongly recommended.

Which packages are affected by CVE-2018-17186?

CVE-2018-17186 affects the following packages: org.apache.syncope:syncope-core (Maven), org.apache.syncope:syncope-core (Maven). Ecosystems affected: Maven.

How do I fix CVE-2018-17186?

Update org.apache.syncope:syncope-core to 2.0.11 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2018-17186 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.

How do I detect CVE-2018-17186 in my Maven dependencies?

Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.syncope:syncope-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.

How do I mitigate CVE-2018-17186 if there is no patch (or I can't update yet)?

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.

Is CVE-2018-17186 actively exploited in the wild?

No public exploit code has been indexed for CVE-2018-17186 yet. This does not mean the vulnerability cannot be exploited — absence of public exploits does not imply safety. Apply the recommended fix and use O3 Security to monitor your exposure.

What is the EPSS score for CVE-2018-17186?

CVE-2018-17186 has an EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) score of 2.5%, placing it in the 85th percentile of all CVEs. EPSS is maintained by FIRST.org and estimates the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. This score indicates relatively lower exploitation probability, though the CVSS severity should still guide your patching priority.

What type of vulnerability is CVE-2018-17186?

CVE-2018-17186 is classified as XML External Entity (XXE) (CWE-611). This weakness type describe the underlying flaw category, which helps determine the potential impact and the right class of mitigation.

When was CVE-2018-17186 published, and has it been updated?

CVE-2018-17186 was published on November 6, 2018 and was last updated on October 24, 2026. Advisory data evolves as severity scores, affected ranges, and exploit intelligence are revised — always check the latest version of the advisory before acting.

☕

☕ Maven

Not in CISA KEV

HIGH severity

CVE-2018-17186 — syncope-core

HIGHFix: apache/syncope@a0f35f4

CVE-2018-17186 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.2) XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability in org.apache.syncope:syncope-core. A fix is available for org.apache.syncope:syncope-core — see the affected versions and patch details below.

Improper Restriction of XML External Entity Reference in org.apache.syncope:syncope-core

Also known asGHSA-qfjv-998w-q48f

Published

Nov 6, 2018

Updated

Oct 24, 2026

Affected

2 pkgs

Patched

2 / 2

Exploits

None indexed

Exploitation data as of Nov 7, 2026 · OSV.dev, NVD, FIRST.org (EPSS)

EPSS Exploitation Probability

via FIRST.org ↗

2.5%probability of exploitation in next 30 days

Lower Risk0.00%

Lower risk than most CVEs85th percentile — riskier than 85% of all scored CVEsHighest risk

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.

How urgent is this, really

Where this sits among everything scored

Real-World Exposure

2 pkgs affected

☕org.apache.syncope:syncope-core☕org.apache.syncope:syncope-core

Real-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

An administrator with workflow definition entitlements can use DTD to perform malicious operations, including but not limited to file read, file write, and code execution.

Affected Packages

2 total 2 fixed

Ecosystem	Package	Vulnerable range	Fix
☕Maven	`org.apache.syncope:syncope-core`	all versions	2.0.11`org.apache.syncope:syncope-core:2.0.11`
☕Maven	`org.apache.syncope:syncope-core`	≥ 2.1.0&&< 2.1.2	2.1.2`org.apache.syncope:syncope-core:2.1.2`

Affected Products

1 product · 2 configurations

Application

syncopeapache

≥ 2.1.0 && ≤ 2.1.2

range

Detection & mitigation playbook

Open-source dependency

Detect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for org.apache.syncope:syncope-core, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update org.apache.syncope:syncope-core to 2.0.11 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2018-17186 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

An administrator with workflow definition entitlements can use DTD to perform malicious operations, including but not limited to file read, file write, and code execution.

O3 Security · Impact-Aware SCA

Is CVE-2018-17186 in your dependencies?

Find it across Maven, including transitive dependencies.

Scan my dependencies How O3 SCA works

CVSS Score

7.2/10CVSS v3 base

Vector breakdown

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

High

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

Raw vector

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CWE Classification

CWE-611XML External Entity (XXE)

Weaponization

No Nuclei template, Metasploit module or public proof-of-concept found.

Timeline

Disclosed

Nov 6, 2018

Last updated

Oct 24, 2026

Identifiers

CVE-2018-17186

GHSA-qfjv-998w-q48f

References

Advisorysyncope.apache.org · security Advisorynvd.nist.gov · CVE 2018 17186 Advisorygithub.com · GHSA qfjv 998w q48f Webgithub.com · a0f35f45f8ca5c98853ae8477fb2db81a84709a

Related vulnerabilities

Also affects syncope-core

This CVE is high severity; 4 of 6 other CVEs affecting syncope-core are rated as high or higher (top: critical).

CVE-2025-65998CVE-2020-1961CVE-2020-1959CVE-2018-17184CVE-2018-1322CVE-2018-1321

Same weakness: CWE-611

This CVE is high severity, in line with the other 2 CVEs with CWE-611.

CVE-2026-108358CVE-2026-108357Browse all CWE-611

Provenance

Sources

OSV.devNVDFIRST.org (EPSS)

Last verifiedOct 24, 2026

CVE-2018-17186 — syncope-core

EPSS Exploitation Probability

How urgent is this, really

Where this sits among everything scored

Real-World Exposure

Description

Affected Packages

Affected Products

Detection & mitigation playbook

Detect

Fix

Workarounds

Frequently Asked Questions

Is CVE-2018-17186 in your dependencies?