# CVE-2018-0140: Missing authorization in Cisco Email Security Appliance and Cisco Content Security Management Appliance

> Authenticated attackers can bypass authorization checks to read other users' quarantined emails by modifying browser strings.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Feb 2018
- **Updated:** 2 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w5x3-hp8j-7gh2

## What is CVE-2018-0140?

CVE-2018-0140 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Email Security Appliance and Cisco Content Security Management Appliance, published on 8 Feb 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability in the spam quarantine of Cisco Email Security Appliance and Cisco Content Security Management Appliance could allow an authenticated, remote attacker to download any message from the spam quarantine by modifying browser string information. The vulnerability is due to a lack of verification of authenticated user accounts. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by modifying browser strings to see messages submitted by other users to the spam quarantine within their company. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCvg39759, CSCvg42295.

Weakness: CWE-425 (Direct Request), CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-0140?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Cisco Content Security Management Appliance, Cisco Email Security Appliance Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-0140?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-0140 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-0140 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0140 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cisco Email Security Appliance and Cisco Content Security Management Appliance

- [CVE-2014-2119](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-2119/): File upload in n/a (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2015-6321](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-6321/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2013-5537](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-5537/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2016-2183](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2183/): Weak cryptography in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2013-3395](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-3395/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (medium 6.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-0140 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-0140 is a medium-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Cisco Email Security Appliance and Cisco Content Security Management Appliance, published on 8 Feb 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-0140 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cisco Email Security Appliance and Cisco Content Security Management Appliance. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0140/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0140/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-0140
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-0140
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-0140

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-0140/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.