How severe is CVE-2018-16861?

CVE-2018-16861 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.6, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability low.

Is CVE-2018-16861 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (55th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-16861?

CVE-2018-16861 primarily affects Theforeman Foreman. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-16861?

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-2018-16861 published?

CVE-2018-16861 was published on 2018-12-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-16861

CVE-2018-16861 is a high-severity vulnerability in Theforeman Foreman with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.6. 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-79.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.6)
CVSS v2: 3.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (55th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-79
Affected product: Theforeman Foreman
Published: 2018-12-07
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw was found in the foreman component of satellite. An attacker with privilege to create entries using the Hosts, Monitor, Infrastructure, or Administer Menus is able to execute a XSS attacks against other users, possibly leading to malicious code execution and extraction of the anti-CSRF token of higher privileged users. Foreman before 1.18.3, 1.19.1, and 1.20.0 are vulnerable.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-16861?: A cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw was found in the foreman component of satellite. An attacker with privilege to create entries using the Hosts, Monitor, Infrastructure, or Administer Menus is able to execute a XSS attacks against other users, possibly leading to malicious code execution and extraction of the anti-CSRF token of higher privileged users. Foreman before 1.18.3, 1.19.1, and 1.20.0 are vulnerable.
How severe is CVE-2018-16861?: CVE-2018-16861 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.6, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability low.
Is CVE-2018-16861 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (55th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-16861?: CVE-2018-16861 primarily affects Theforeman Foreman. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-16861?: 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-2018-16861 published?: CVE-2018-16861 was published on 2018-12-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:theforeman:foreman:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:theforeman:foreman:1.20.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:theforeman:foreman:1.20.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*

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