# CVE-2018-16131: High severity vulnerability that affects com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.11 and com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.12

> Remote attackers can cause denial of service via memory consumption and daemon crash using a ZIP bomb in Akka HTTP.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/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:** 30 Aug 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9qgc-p27w-3hjg

## What is CVE-2018-16131?

CVE-2018-16131 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in n/a, published on 30 Aug 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The decodeRequest and decodeRequestWith directives in Lightbend Akka HTTP 10.1.x through 10.1.4 and 10.0.x through 10.0.13 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption and daemon crash) via a ZIP bomb.

Weakness: CWE-400 (Uncontrolled Resource Consumption)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-16131?

4 open source packages ship an affected version, including com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.11 and com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.12. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.11` | Maven | From 10.1.0 | 10.1.4 |
| `com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.11` | Maven | From 10.1.0 | 10.1.4 |
| `com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.12` | Maven | From 10.1.0 | 10.1.4 |
| `com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.12` | Maven | From 10.1.0 | 10.1.4 |

Products: Lightbend Akka Http.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-16131?

Upgrade com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.11 to 10.1.4 or later.

## Is CVE-2018-16131 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-16131 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2023-33251](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-33251/): Information disclosure in n/a (medium 4.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-16131 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-16131 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in n/a, published on 30 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-2018-16131 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.11 (Maven): affected from 10.1.0; fixed in 10.1.4
- com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.11 (Maven): affected from 10.1.0; fixed in 10.1.4
- com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.12 (Maven): affected from 10.1.0; fixed in 10.1.4
- com.typesafe.akka:akka-http-core_2.12 (Maven): affected from 10.1.0; fixed in 10.1.4

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-2018-16131/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16131/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16131
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16131
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-16131

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16131/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.