How severe is CVE-2018-12712?

CVE-2018-12712 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-12712 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (81st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-12712?

CVE-2018-12712 affects Joomla Joomla!. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-12712?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2018-12712 published?

CVE-2018-12712 was published on 2018-06-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-12712

CVE-2018-12712 is a high-severity vulnerability in Joomla Joomla! with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 6.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (81st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Joomla Joomla!
Published: 2018-06-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in Joomla! 2.5.0 through 3.8.8 before 3.8.9. The autoload code checks classnames to be valid, using the "class_exists" function in PHP. In PHP 5.3, this function validates invalid names as valid, which can result in a Local File Inclusion.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-12712?: An issue was discovered in Joomla! 2.5.0 through 3.8.8 before 3.8.9. The autoload code checks classnames to be valid, using the "class_exists" function in PHP. In PHP 5.3, this function validates invalid names as valid, which can result in a Local File Inclusion.
How severe is CVE-2018-12712?: CVE-2018-12712 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-12712 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (81st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-12712?: CVE-2018-12712 affects Joomla Joomla!. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-12712?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2018-12712 published?: CVE-2018-12712 was published on 2018-06-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:joomla:joomla\!:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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