# CVE-2018-15751: SaltStack Salt Remote command execution and incorrect access control when using salt-api

> Remote attackers can bypass authentication in SaltStack Salt API to execute arbitrary commands, requiring the netapi feature to be enabled.

- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Oct 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x549-r7m8-gv63, PYSEC-2018-30, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-15751

## What is CVE-2018-15751?

CVE-2018-15751 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Saltstack Salt, published on 24 Oct 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

SaltStack Salt before 2017.7.8 and 2018.3.x before 2018.3.3 allow remote attackers to bypass authentication and execute arbitrary commands via salt-api(netapi).

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-15751?

7 open source packages ship an affected version, including salt. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 2016.11.0 | 2016.11.10 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 2016.11.0 | 2016.11.10 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 2017.7.0 | 2017.7.8 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 2017.7.0 | 2017.7.8 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 2018.3.0 | 2018.3.3, 2017.7.8 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 2018.3.0 | 2018.3.3 |
| `salt` | PyPI | From 2018.3.0 | 2018.3.3 |

Products: Saltstack Salt.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-15751?

Upgrade salt to a fixed version for your release line: 2016.11.10, 2017.7.8 or 2018.3.3.

## Is CVE-2018-15751 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-15751 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Saltstack Salt

- [CVE-2013-4437](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4437/): SaltStack insecurely uses /tmp (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2013-6617](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6617/): SaltStack Privilege Escalation vulnerability (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2021-33226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33226/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-25315](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25315/): salt-api unauthenticated remote code execution (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-7893](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-7893/): SaltStack Salt allows compromised salt-minions to impersonate the salt-master (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-15751 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-15751 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Saltstack Salt, published on 24 Oct 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-2018-15751 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- salt (PyPI): affected from 2016.11.0; fixed in 2016.11.10
- salt (PyPI): affected from 2016.11.0; fixed in 2016.11.10
- salt (PyPI): affected from 2017.7.0; fixed in 2017.7.8
- salt (PyPI): affected from 2017.7.0; fixed in 2017.7.8
- salt (PyPI): affected from 2018.3.0; fixed in 2018.3.3, 2017.7.8
- salt (PyPI): affected from 2018.3.0; fixed in 2018.3.3
- salt (PyPI): affected from 2018.3.0; fixed in 2018.3.3

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-2018-15751/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15751/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-15751
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-15751
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-15751

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15751/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.