Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Quest KACE System Management Appliance 8.0.318 contains an anonymously reachable script that can let a remote attacker run commands on the appliance. Successful exploitation could expose managed-system information, alter administrative data, disrupt operations, or provide a foothold for further compromise.
Executive priority
Treat as an immediate remediation and compromise-assessment priority. It combines unauthenticated remote command execution, potentially complete appliance impact, a critical CVSS score, public exploit material, and confirmed known exploitation. Isolate exposed systems until their status and remediation are verified.
Technical view
CVE-2018-11138 is a network-accessible, unauthenticated command-injection vulnerability (CWE-78) in /common/download_agent_installer.php. It has CVSS 3.1 score 9.8 because exploitation requires no privileges or user interaction and may fully affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Likely exposure
Confirmed scope in the bundle is Quest KACE System Management Appliance version 8.0.318. Appliances are at greatest risk when their management interface is reachable from untrusted networks. The supplied evidence does not establish whether other versions are affected.
Exploitation context
CISA lists CVE-2018-11138 in its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, supporting real-world exploitation. A public Exploit-DB entry also exists. These signals materially increase urgency, but the supplied evidence does not describe current campaign volume, targets, or attacker attribution.
Researcher notes
The evidence supports unauthenticated OS command injection through the named PHP endpoint. Avoid assuming exposure beyond version 8.0.318 because the supplied affected-product metadata is incomplete. No specific fixed version or patch is provided in the bundle; consult Quest’s advisory and current support guidance.
Mitigation direction
- Identify any Quest KACE SMA 8.0.318 appliances and prioritize them immediately.
- Check current Quest guidance for the supported fixed release or vendor-approved remediation.
- Restrict appliance management access to trusted administrative networks and authenticated VPN users.
- Remove direct internet exposure while remediation and incident review are underway.
- Preserve relevant appliance and network logs before making operational changes.
Validation and detection
- Inventory KACE SMA versions and document every reachable management interface.
- Confirm the vulnerable script is inaccessible to anonymous users after remediation.
- Review logs for unexpected anonymous requests to the affected script.
- Investigate unusual child processes, configuration changes, accounts, or outbound connections from appliances.
- Verify implemented controls from an untrusted network without attempting command execution.
Public sources used
The source record changed after analysis: Material source record changed after analysis.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-78: Command execution behavior lookup
Command injection weaknesses can lead defenders to review execution techniques and command interpreter telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2018-11138 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- Yes
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CISA KEV status
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9CISA-ADPVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- Added to KEVCISA-ADP
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities metadata lists this CVE as known exploited.
- ADP timelineCISA-ADP
CVE-2018-11138 added to CISA KEV
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
- 2022-03-25T00:00:00.000Z: CVE-2018-11138 added to CISA KEV
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- 44950CVE reference, mitre · exploit, x_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB
- https://www.coresecurity.com/advisories/quest-kace-system-management-appliance-multiple-vulnerabilitiesCVE reference, mitre · x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-11138CVE reference, CISA-ADP · government-resource
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')
Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.