# CVE-2018-15711: Privilege escalation in Nagios XI

> Authenticated attackers can reset API keys of privileged users to execute commands with elevated privileges in Nagios XI.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 14 Nov 2018
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w945-wc2v-qq8w

## What is CVE-2018-15711?

CVE-2018-15711 is a high-severity vulnerability in Nagios Nagios Xi, published on 14 Nov 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Nagios XI 5.5.6 allows remote authenticated attackers to reset and regenerate the API key of more privileged users. The attacker can then use the new API key to execute API calls at elevated privileges.

Weakness: CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-15711?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Nagios Nagios Xi.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-15711?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-15711 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-15711 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-15711 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Nagios Nagios Xi

- [CVE-2021-25296](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25296/): Nagios XI OS Command Injection (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-25297](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25297/): Nagios XI OS Command Injection (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-25298](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25298/): Nagios XI OS Command Injection (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-15949](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-15949/): Nagios XI Remote Code Execution (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-24401](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-24401/): SQL injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-15711 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-15711 is a high-severity vulnerability in Nagios Nagios Xi, published on 14 Nov 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-2018-15711 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Nagios Nagios Xi. 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-2018-15711/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15711/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-15711
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-15711
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-15711

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15711/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.