CVE-2018-18853
HIGHCVE-2018-18853 is a high-severity (CVSS 7.5) Uncontrolled Resource Consumption vulnerability in io.spray:spray-json_2.12. 1 public exploit reference exists, so weaponization risk is real. O3 Security confirms whether CVE-2018-18853 is actually reachable in your code before you act, and blocks exploitation at runtime until you patch.
Uncontrolled Resource Consumption in spray-json when parsing decimal digit fields
Real-World Exposure
io.spray:spray-json_2.12☕io.spray:spray-json_2.11☕io.spray:spray-json_2.10Real-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
Lightbend Spray spray-json through 1.3.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (resource consumption) because of Algorithmic Complexity during the parsing of a field composed of many decimal digits.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕Maven | io.spray:spray-json_2.12 | all versions | 1.3.5 |
| ☕Maven | io.spray:spray-json_2.11 | all versions | 1.3.5 |
| ☕Maven | io.spray:spray-json_2.10 | all versions | 1.3.5 |
Research use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for io.spray:spray-json_2.12. 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 io.spray:spray-json_2.12 to 1.3.5 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2018-18853 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-2018-18853 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-2018-18853. 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-2018-18853 in your dependencies?
O3 detects CVE-2018-18853 across Maven dependencies and uses function-level reachability to confirm whether the vulnerable code path is actually reachable — not just present. No false positives.