Moderate severity vulnerability that affects org.springframework.boot:spring-boot

Exploitation

No confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next marks exploitation only from CISA KEV.

CVSS

5.9 · CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

EPSS

• CVE-2018-1196: 1.21% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 68.53 (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-03). This is a model estimate, not proof of exploitation or customer exposure.

As published by the source; long descriptions are shortened.

Spring Boot supports an embedded launch script that can be used to easily run the application as a systemd or init.d linux service. The script included with Spring Boot 1.5.9 and earlier and 2.0.0.M1 through 2.0.0.M7 is susceptible to a symlink attack which allows the "runuser" to overwrite and take ownership of any file on the same system. In order to instigate the attack, the application must be installed as a service and the "runuser" requires shell access to the server. Spring Boot application that are not installed as a service, or are not using the embedded launch script are not susceptible.

Published by the source

18 Oct 2018, 18:05 UTC

Last modified by the source

1 Feb 2023, 05:04 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 16:05 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-xx65-cc7g-9pfp

Preview the exact text before you copy it. Commands are read-only suggestions; review them before running anything.

# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2018-1196

Advisory: Moderate severity vulnerability that affects org.springframework.boot:spring-boot
IDs: CVE-2018-1196, GHSA-xx65-cc7g-9pfp
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2018-1196 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 16:05 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Medium (CVSS 5.9)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor fix available; fixed versions by package: org.springframework.boot:spring-boot 1.5.10. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.springframework.boot:spring-boot: affected >= 1.5.0, < 1.5.10; fixed in 1.5.10

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.springframework.boot:spring-boot: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
Upgrade each affected component to a fixed version on its release line. For a transitive dependency, upgrade the parent package or add an override or constraint, then regenerate the lockfile. Redeploy every environment that ran an affected version.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.springframework.boot:spring-boot.
- Repeat the inspection and confirm that only fixed versions remain installed.

## Rollback considerations
- Keep the previous lockfile and deployment artifact. Rolling back reinstates the vulnerable version, so apply any documented mitigation while you fix forward.

## Unresolved questions
- Which deployments run an affected version?
- Exploitation status can change. Check again before lowering the priority.
- Mark the work resolved only after the fixed version is verified in production.

## Sources
- Verified: https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-xx65-cc7g-9pfp (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-xx65-cc7g-9pfp lists affected ranges: Maven org.springframework.boot:spring-boot >=1.5.0 <1.5.10)

Commands are suggestions: review each one before running it.