# CVE-2018-16153: Opencast publishes global system account credentials

> Apereo Opencast leaks system digest credentials to external services during authentication, exposing sensitive data to attackers.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 12 Dec 2023
- **Updated:** 27 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hcxx-mp6g-6gr9

## What is CVE-2018-16153?

CVE-2018-16153 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Dec 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in Apereo Opencast 4.x through 10.x before 10.6. It sends system digest credentials during authentication attempts to arbitrary external services in some situations.

Weakness: CWE-522 (Insufficiently Protected Credentials)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-16153?

2 open source packages ship an affected version, including org.opencastproject:opencast-common. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `org.opencastproject:opencast-common` | Maven | All versions | 10.6 |
| `org.opencastproject:opencast-common` | Maven | All versions | 10.6 |

Products: Apereo Opencast.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-16153?

Upgrade org.opencastproject:opencast-common to 10.6 or later.

## Is CVE-2018-16153 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-16153 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-43821](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-43821/): Files Accessible to External Parties in Opencast (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2020-5206](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5206/): Authentication Bypass For Endpoints With Anonymous Access in OpenCast (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2021-32623](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-32623/): Opencast vulnerable to billion laughs attack (XML bomb) (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2020-5229](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5229/): Opencast stores passwords using outdated MD5 hash algorithm (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2020-5230](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-5230/): Opencast uses unsafe identifiers (high 7.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-16153 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-16153 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 12 Dec 2023. 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-2018-16153 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- org.opencastproject:opencast-common (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 10.6
- org.opencastproject:opencast-common (Maven): affected all versions; fixed in 10.6

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-2018-16153/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16153/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16153
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16153
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-16153

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16153/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.