# CVE-2018-2879: Auth bypass in Access Manager

> Unauthenticated attackers can compromise Oracle Access Manager via HTTP, leading to full system takeover and significant impact on dependent products.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.0 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/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:** 19 Apr 2018
- **Updated:** 3 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5xgp-rmw9-5cfw

## What is CVE-2018-2879?

CVE-2018-2879 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Oracle Access Manager, published on 19 Apr 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Vulnerability in the Oracle Access Manager component of Oracle Fusion Middleware (subcomponent: Authentication Engine). Supported versions that are affected are 11.1.2.3.0 and 12.2.1.3.0. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via HTTP to compromise Oracle Access Manager. While the vulnerability is in Oracle Access Manager, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle Access Manager. Note: Please refer to Doc ID <a href="http://support.oracle.com/CSP/main/article?cmd=show&type=NOT&id=2386496.1">My Oracle Support Note 2386496.1 for instructions on how to address this issue. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 9.0 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-2879?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Oracle Access Manager.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-2879?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-2879 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-2879 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-2879 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- https://github.com/MostafaSoliman/Oracle-OAM-Padding-Oracle-CVE-2018-2879-Exploit (github_poc): https://github.com/MostafaSoliman/Oracle-OAM-Padding-Oracle-CVE-2018-2879-Exploit
- Exploit for Oracle Access Manager padding oracle vulnerability (CVE-2018-2879) (github_poc): https://github.com/AymanElSherif/oracle-oam-authentication-bypas-exploit

## Other vulnerabilities in Oracle Access Manager

- [CVE-2021-35587](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-35587/): Oracle Fusion Middleware Unspecified (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-2555](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-2555/): Oracle Multiple Products Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-71133](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-71133/): Auth bypass in Oracle Access Manager (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-60358](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-60358/): Auth bypass in Oracle Access Manager (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2026-71163](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-71163/): Missing authorization in Oracle Access Manager (critical 9.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-2879 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-2879 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Oracle Access Manager, published on 19 Apr 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-2018-2879 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Oracle Access Manager. 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-2018-2879/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-2879/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-2879
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-2879
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-2879

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-2879/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.