# CVE-2018-1973: Privilege escalation in API Connect

> An API Administrator can escalate privileges to full Administrator access via the members functionality in IBM API Connect.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.0/A:H/AC:L/AV:N/C:H/I:H/PR:H/S:U/UI:N/E:U/RC:C/RL:O`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Dec 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xmq2-3xpw-g24h

## What is CVE-2018-1973?

CVE-2018-1973 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ibm Api Connect, published on 20 Dec 2018. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM API Connect 5.0.0.0 through 5.0.8.4 allows a user with limited 'API Administrator level access to give themselves full 'Administrator' level access through the members functionality. IBM X-Force ID: 153914.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-1973?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Api Connect.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-1973?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-1973 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-1973 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-1973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm Api Connect

- [CVE-2019-4202](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4202/): Command injection in API Connect (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2025-13915](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-13915/): Authentication bypass in IBM API Connect (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-1469](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1469/): Command injection in API Connect (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-9074](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-9074/): IBM API Connect SQL Injection (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2019-4008](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4008/): Information disclosure in API Connect (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-1973 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-1973 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ibm Api Connect, published on 20 Dec 2018. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-1973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm Api Connect. 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-2018-1973/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1973/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-1973
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-1973
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-1973

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1973/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.