# CVE-2018-6289: Code injection in Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway

> Attackers can inject configuration data to execute arbitrary code with root privileges on Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/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:** 6 Feb 2018
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qjj5-2q7v-ffxh

## What is CVE-2018-6289?

CVE-2018-6289 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway, published on 6 Feb 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Configuration file injection leading to Code Execution as Root in Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway version 1.1.

Weakness: CWE-74 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-6289?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-6289?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-6289 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-6289 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-6289 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway

- [CVE-2018-6288](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6288/): Cross-site request forgery in Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-6290](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6290/): Privilege escalation in Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2018-6291](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6291/): Cross-site scripting in Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway (medium 6.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-6289 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-6289 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway, published on 6 Feb 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-2018-6289 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Kaspersky Secure Mail Gateway. 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-2018-6289/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6289/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-6289
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-6289
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-6289

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6289/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.