Remote Code Execution in spark-core

Exploitation

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

CVSS

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

EPSS

• CVE-2018-17190: 8.79% estimated exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 95.19 (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.

In all versions of Apache Spark, its standalone resource manager accepts code to execute on a 'master' host, that then runs that code on 'worker' hosts. The master itself does not, by design, execute user code. A specially-crafted request to the master can, however, cause the master to execute code too. Note that this does not affect standalone clusters with authentication enabled. While the master host typically has less outbound access to other resources than a worker, the execution of code on the master is nevertheless unexpected. Mitigation Enable authentication on any Spark standalone cluster that is not otherwise secured from unwanted access, for example by network-level restrictions. Use spark.authenticate and related security properties described at https://spark.apache.org/docs/latest/security.html

Published by the source

21 Nov 2018, 22:19 UTC

Last modified by the source

9 Jan 2023, 05:04 UTC

Source last checked

26 Oct 2026, 15:53 UTC

1. Revision 1 · created · 26 Oct 2026

   Published from ghsa record GHSA-phg2-9c5g-m4q7

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# Patch Next advisory brief: CVE-2018-17190

Advisory: Remote Code Execution in spark-core
IDs: CVE-2018-17190, GHSA-phg2-9c5g-m4q7
Record: https://patchnext.com/advisories/cve-2018-17190 (revision 1, source checked 26 Oct 2026, 15:53 UTC)
Inventory: none attached. This brief comes from a public page and does not say whether any deployment is affected.
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8)
Exploitation: no confirmed exploitation recorded. Patch Next confirms exploitation only from CISA KEV.
Vendor response: Vendor response not established. A vendor fix does not mean a deployment is fixed.

## Affected components
- Maven org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.11: affected every version
- Maven org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.10: affected every version

## Suggested inspection (read-only)
- Maven org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.11: check the installed version with your package manager.
- Maven org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.10: check the installed version with your package manager.

## Supported action
No complete vendor fix is recorded. Follow the primary source's mitigation guidance and check this record again before closing anything.

## Required regression checks
- Run the test suite and a production build.
- Exercise the features that depend on org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.11, org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.10.
- 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-phg2-9c5g-m4q7 (GitHub-reviewed advisory GHSA-phg2-9c5g-m4q7 lists affected ranges: Maven org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.11 >=0; Maven org.apache.spark:spark-core_2.10 >=0)

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