# CVE-2018-11039: Spring Framework Cross Site Tracing (XST)

> Attackers can escalate existing XSS vulnerabilities to Cross Site Tracing attacks if HiddenHttpMethodFilter is enabled in Spring MVC applications.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Jun 2018
- **Updated:** 8 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-11039, GHSA-9gcm-f4x3-8jpw, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-11039

## What is CVE-2018-11039?

CVE-2018-11039 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 25 Jun 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Spring Framework (versions 5.0.x prior to 5.0.7, versions 4.3.x prior to 4.3.18, and older unsupported versions) allow web applications to change the HTTP request method to any HTTP method (including TRACE) using the HiddenHttpMethodFilter in Spring MVC. If an application has a pre-existing XSS vulnerability, a malicious user (or attacker) can use this filter to escalate to an XST (Cross Site Tracing) attack.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-11039?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.springframework:spring-web. It affects 33 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.springframework:spring-web` | Maven | From 4.3.0 | 4.3.18 |
| `org.springframework:spring-web` | Maven | From 4.3.0 | 4.3.18 |
| `org.springframework:spring-web` | Maven | From 5.0.0 | 5.0.7 |
| `org.springframework:spring-web` | Maven | From 5.0.0 | 5.0.7 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Oracle Agile Product Lifecycle Management, Oracle Application Testing Suite, Oracle Communications Diameter Signaling Router, Oracle Communications Network Integrity, Oracle Communications Online Mediation Controller, Oracle Communications Performance Intelligence Center, Oracle Communications Services Gatekeeper, Oracle Communications Unified Inventory Management, Oracle Endeca Information Discovery Integrator, Oracle Enterprise Manager Base Platform, Oracle Enterprise Manager for Mysql Database, Oracle Enterprise Manager Ops Center, Oracle Health Sciences Information Manager, Oracle Healthcare Master Person Index, Oracle Hospitality Guest Access, Oracle Insurance Calculation Engine, Oracle Insurance Rules Palette, Oracle Micros Lucas, Oracle Mysql Enterprise Monitor and 13 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-11039?

Upgrade org.springframework:spring-web to a fixed version for your release line: 4.3.18 or 5.0.7.

## Is CVE-2018-11039 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-11039 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-11039 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-11039 is a medium-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 25 Jun 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-11039 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.springframework:spring-web (Maven): affected from 4.3.0; fixed in 4.3.18
- org.springframework:spring-web (Maven): affected from 4.3.0; fixed in 4.3.18
- org.springframework:spring-web (Maven): affected from 5.0.0; fixed in 5.0.7
- org.springframework:spring-web (Maven): affected from 5.0.0; fixed in 5.0.7

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-2018-11039/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11039/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-11039
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-11039
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-11039

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11039/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.