# CVE-2018-17200: Deserialization in OFBiz

> An attacker can achieve remote code execution by sending a malicious serialized object to the HTTP service endpoint, bypassing weak XStream filters.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/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:** No
- **Published:** 11 Sep 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rv9j-p5m2-3523

## What is CVE-2018-17200?

CVE-2018-17200 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Apache Ofbiz, published on 11 Sep 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Apache OFBiz HTTP engine (org.apache.ofbiz.service.engine.HttpEngine.java) handles requests for HTTP services via the /webtools/control/httpService endpoint. This service takes the `serviceContent` parameter in the request and deserializes it using XStream. This `XStream` instance is slightly guarded by disabling the creation of `ProcessBuilder`. However, this can be easily bypassed (and in multiple ways). Mitigation: Upgrade to 16.11.06 or manually apply the following commits on branch 16 r1850017+1850019

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-17200?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apache Ofbiz.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-17200?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-17200 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-17200 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-17200 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apache Ofbiz

- [CVE-2024-45195](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-45195/): Apache OFBiz Forced Browsing (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-32113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-32113/): Apache OFBiz Path Traversal (critical 9.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-38856](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38856/): Apache OFBiz Incorrect Authorization (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2250](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2250/): Code injection in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-3506](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3506/): Unspecified vulnerability in the Apache Open For Business Project (aka OFBiz) 10.04.x before 10.04.03 has unknown impact and attack vectors. (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-17200 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-17200 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Apache Ofbiz, published on 11 Sep 2019. 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-2018-17200 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apache Ofbiz. 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-2018-17200/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17200/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-17200
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17200
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-17200

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17200/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.