# CVE-2018-14805: Auth bypass in ABB eSOMS

> Unauthorized access is possible in ABB eSOMS if LDAP anonymous authentication is enabled and specific web.config keys are present.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Aug 2018
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qr8c-f5qw-7crq

## What is CVE-2018-14805?

CVE-2018-14805 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in ICS-CERT ABB eSOMS, published on 29 Aug 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

ABB eSOMS version 6.0.2 may allow unauthorized access to the system when LDAP is set to allow anonymous authentication, and specific key values within the eSOMS web.config file are present. Both conditions are required to exploit this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-14805?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Hitachienergy Esoms.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-14805?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-14805 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-14805 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-14805 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in ICS-CERT ABB eSOMS

- [CVE-2019-19094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19094/): ABB eSOMS: SQL injection vulnerability (high 7.6)
- [CVE-2021-35527](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-35527/): Password Autocomplete Vulnerability in Hitachi ABB Power Grids eSOMS Application (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2021-26845](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-26845/): eSOMS Report Function Vulnerability (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2019-19000](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19000/): eSOMS Cachecontrol (Pragma) HTTP Header (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2019-19001](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-19001/): eSOMS X-FrameOption (medium 6.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-14805 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-14805 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in ICS-CERT ABB eSOMS, published on 29 Aug 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-2018-14805 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: ICS-CERT ABB eSOMS. 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-2018-14805/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14805/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-14805
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-14805
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-14805

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14805/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.