# CVE-2018-18850: Code injection in n/a

> Authenticated users with deployment permissions can upload malicious YAML to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges on the Octopus Server.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/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:** 31 Oct 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-483m-372f-vxc5

## What is CVE-2018-18850?

CVE-2018-18850 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Octopus Octopus Server, published on 31 Oct 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Octopus Deploy 2018.8.0 through 2018.9.x before 2018.9.1, an authenticated user with permission to modify deployment processes could upload a maliciously crafted YAML configuration, potentially allowing for remote execution of arbitrary code, running in the same context as the Octopus Server (for self-hosted installations by default, SYSTEM).

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-18850?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Octopus Octopus Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-18850?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-18850 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-18850 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-18850 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Octopus Deploy Authenticated Code Execution (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Octopus Octopus Server

- [CVE-2022-2572](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2572/): Auth bypass in Octopus Server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-2778](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2778/): Security feature bypass in Octopus Server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-11320](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11320/): Information disclosure in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-2782](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-2782/): Auth bypass in Octopus Server (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2024-2975](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-2975/): Race condition in Octopus Server (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-18850 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-18850 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Octopus Octopus Server, published on 31 Oct 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-18850 exists.

Affected product: Octopus Octopus Server. 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-2018-18850/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-18850/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-18850
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-18850
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-18850

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-18850/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.