# CVE-2018-17914: Auth bypass in InduSoft Web Studio, and InTouch Edge HMI (formerly InTouch Machine Edition)

> Unauthenticated attackers can remotely execute arbitrary code on InduSoft Web Studio and InTouch Edge HMI systems, requiring immediate upgrades.

- **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:** 2 Nov 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xjh8-jwcf-pmgc

## What is CVE-2018-17914?

CVE-2018-17914 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in unknown InduSoft Web Studio, and InTouch Edge HMI (formerly InTouch Machine Edition), published on 2 Nov 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

InduSoft Web Studio versions prior to 8.1 SP2, and InTouch Edge HMI (formerly InTouch Machine Edition) versions prior to 2017 SP2. This vulnerability could allow an unauthenticated user to remotely execute code with the same privileges as that of the InduSoft Web Studio or InTouch Edge HMI (formerly InTouch Machine Edition) runtime.

Weakness: CWE-258 (Empty Password in Configuration File)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-17914?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Aveva Edge, Aveva Indusoft Web Studio, Aveva Intouch Machine Edition 2014.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-17914?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-17914 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-17914 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-17914 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in unknown InduSoft Web Studio, and InTouch Edge HMI (formerly InTouch Machine Edition)

- [CVE-2021-42796](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42796/): Command injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-17916](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17916/): Memory corruption in InduSoft Web Studio, and InTouch Edge HMI (formerly InTouch Machine Edition) (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-42797](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42797/): Path traversal in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2021-42794](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-42794/): Server-side request forgery in n/a (medium 5.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-17914 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-17914 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in unknown InduSoft Web Studio, and InTouch Edge HMI (formerly InTouch Machine Edition), published on 2 Nov 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-2018-17914 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: unknown InduSoft Web Studio, and InTouch Edge HMI (formerly InTouch Machine Edition). 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-2018-17914/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17914/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-17914
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17914
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-17914

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17914/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.