# CVE-2018-16232: Command injection in n/a

> Authenticated users can execute arbitrary commands via backup.cgi in IPFire Firewall, requiring an upgrade to mitigate.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** 17 Oct 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pprx-2p4p-r72p

## What is CVE-2018-16232?

CVE-2018-16232 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Oct 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An authenticated command injection vulnerability exists in IPFire Firewall before 2.21 Core Update 124 in backup.cgi. This allows an authenticated user with privileges for the affected page to execute arbitrary commands.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-16232?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ipfire Ipfire.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-16232?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-16232 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-16232 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-16232 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-33393](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33393/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-9757](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9757/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2025-34311](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-34311/): IPFire < v2.29 Command Injection via Proxy Report Creation (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2025-34312](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-34312/): IPFire < v2.29 Command Injection via URL Filter Blacklist (high 8.7)
- [CVE-2025-34304](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-34304/): IPFire < v2.29 SQL Injection via OpenVPN Connection Logs (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-16232 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-16232 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 17 Oct 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-2018-16232 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2018-16232/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16232/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16232
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16232
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-16232

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16232/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.