Threats / Apache / CVE-2018-11776
CVE-2018-11776
· EUVD no mirror located
· GCVE no mirror located
Verified 2026-06-22
Apache Struts vulnerability
Apache Struts remote code execution via improper namespace handling in result configuration or URL tag processing when alwaysSelectFullNamespace is enabled or wildcard namespaces are used.
Verdict
Today item — known-exploited.
An attacker can execute arbitrary code on affected Struts applications by crafting requests that exploit namespace resolution flaws in result definitions or URL tags, particularly when default or wildcard namespace configurations are present.
01
Is it exploitable?
— the evidence, ranked above the scoreExploit available
Fully weaponized — public exploit code is cataloged for this vulnerability.We link the existence of the exploit; we do not host or redistribute payloads.
Reported exploitation
9 independent public reports of in-the-wild exploitation are cataloged.Distinct reporting sources (vendor, incident response, government); open them for the underlying claims.
Exploited in the wild
Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2021-11-03).
Probability (EPSS)
EPSS 0.99993 — modeled likelihood of exploitation activity.EPSS is a daily-changing model output — open the source for today's value.
Severity / affected
Affected: Apache, Struts. Confirm exact fixed builds in the vendor advisory.
Weakness (CWE)
Mapped to CWE-20 Improper Input Validation.CWE assignment from the public NVD record; the weakness class drives how the flaw is exploited.
02
Who’s exploiting it?
— attribution turns risk into urgencyAttribution not established
No confirmed (advisory-backed) threat-actor attribution is established for this record. Absence of a named actor is not absence of compromise — see Coverage & confidence.
03
Why it matters
— the attack path, told twice: adversary, then board1
Front door — unauthenticated access narrative 1
Attacker
I craft a malicious HTTP request targeting a Struts application configured with alwaysSelectFullNamespace enabled or wildcard namespaces.
Business
The application processes the request without proper validation of namespace and result parameters, creating an entry point for code execution.
2
Keys to the kingdom — privilege/identity takeover narrative 2
Attacker
I exploit the missing or improperly validated result value in the application's configuration to inject code through the request.
Business
The vulnerability allows my injected payload to bypass input validation controls designed to prevent remote code execution.
3
Lateral reach — past segmentation narrative 3
Attacker
I execute arbitrary code on the server with the privileges of the Struts application process.
Business
The organization experiences complete compromise of the affected application, with potential lateral movement to backend systems and data exfiltration.
04
What to do
— defensible action- Remediate per the vendor advisory — confirm the fixed build for your version and verify exposure.1
Say it to the boardA vulnerability with this evidence profile is a defensible budget line, not a backlog ticket — fund the change against the proof above.
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