# CVE-2018-11803: Null dereference in Apache Subversion

> An attacker can cause a denial of service by triggering a crash in the Apache Subversion mod_dav_svn module via a malformed recursive directory listing request.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Feb 2019
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2018-11803, DEBIAN-CVE-2018-11803, GHSA-q2m4-jgq9-q8vh, SUSE-SU-2019:0195-1, openSUSE-SU-2019:0153-1

## What is CVE-2018-11803?

CVE-2018-11803 is a high-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 5 Feb 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Subversion's mod_dav_svn Apache HTTPD module versions 1.11.0 and 1.10.0 to 1.10.3 will crash after dereferencing an uninitialized pointer if the client omits the root path in a recursive directory listing operation.

Weakness: CWE-824 (Access of Uninitialized Pointer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-11803?

It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `subversion` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 | All versions | 1.10.0-3.3.1 |
| `subversion` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 | All versions | 1.10.0-3.3.1 |
| `subversion` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15 | All versions | 1.10.0-3.3.1 |
| `subversion` | openSUSE:Leap 15.0 | All versions | 1.10.0-lp150.2.3.1 |

Products: Apache Subversion, Canonical Ubuntu Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-11803?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2018-11803 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-11803 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2017-9800](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9800/): A maliciously constructed svn+ssh:// URL would cause Subversion clients before 1.8.19, 1.9.x before 1.9.7, and 1.10.0.x through 1.10.0-alpha (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2013-4246](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4246/): Denial of service in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2015-5259](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-5259/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 8.6)
- [CVE-2024-45720](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-45720/): Apache Subversion: Command line argument injection on Windows platforms (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2015-0202](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-0202/): Denial of service in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-11803 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-11803 is a high-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 5 Feb 2019. 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-2018-11803 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. 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-2018-11803/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11803/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-11803
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-11803
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-11803

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11803/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.