# CVE-2018-8852: Auth bypass in e-Alert Unit (non-medical device)

> Attackers can hijack user sessions in Philips e-Alert Units by exploiting session fixation vulnerabilities during authentication.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 26 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-43m9-j53w-2pxv

## What is CVE-2018-8852?

CVE-2018-8852 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Philips e-Alert Unit (non-medical device), published on 26 Sep 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Philips e-Alert Unit (non-medical device), Version R2.1 and prior. When authenticating a user or otherwise establishing a new user session, the software gives an attacker the opportunity to steal authenticated sessions without invalidating any existing session identifier.

Weakness: CWE-384 (Session Fixation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-8852?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Philips E-Alert Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-8852?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-8852 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-8852 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-8852 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Philips e-Alert Unit (non-medical device)

- [CVE-2018-8850](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8850/): Code injection in e-Alert Unit (non-medical device) (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-8856](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8856/): Hardcoded credentials in e-Alert Unit (non-medical device) (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-8842](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8842/): Information disclosure in e-Alert Unit (non-medical device) (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-8844](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8844/): Cross-site request forgery in e-Alert Unit (non-medical device) (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2018-8848](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8848/): Misconfiguration in e-Alert Unit (non-medical device) (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-8852 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-8852 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Philips e-Alert Unit (non-medical device), published on 26 Sep 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-8852 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Philips e-Alert Unit (non-medical device). 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-2018-8852/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8852/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-8852
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-8852
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-8852

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-8852/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.