CVE-2018-7886 in CloudMe
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered in CloudMe 1.11.0. An unauthenticated remote attacker that can connect to the "CloudMe Sync" client application listening on port 8888 can send a malicious payload causing a buffer overflow condition. This will result in remote code execution, as demonstrated by a TCP reverse shell. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2018-6892.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7886 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw in CloudMe version 1.11.0 that exposes the CloudMe Sync client application running on port 8888 to remote exploitation. This issue demonstrates a significant security weakness in the application's network handling mechanisms, where unauthenticated remote attackers can exploit the service to execute arbitrary code on the target system. The vulnerability specifically affects the TCP reverse shell functionality that was demonstrated as part of the exploitation process, highlighting the severe operational impact that such a flaw can have in real-world scenarios.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from an incomplete remediation of a previous vulnerability CVE-2018-6892, creating a dangerous precedent where security fixes may introduce new attack vectors rather than closing existing ones. The buffer overflow condition occurs when the CloudMe Sync client receives a malicious payload through the network interface listening on port 8888, where insufficient input validation and bounds checking allow attackers to overwrite memory segments beyond the intended buffer boundaries. This type of flaw directly maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios that can occur when dynamic memory allocation is improperly managed.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a severe risk environment where attackers can gain complete system control without requiring authentication credentials, effectively bypassing all authentication mechanisms within the CloudMe application. The remote code execution capability enables threat actors to establish persistent access, escalate privileges, and potentially use the compromised system as a launch point for further attacks within the network infrastructure. The TCP reverse shell demonstration confirms that attackers can establish communication channels back to their command and control servers, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous for enterprise environments where CloudMe services might be exposed to external networks.
Security practitioners should implement immediate network segmentation to isolate CloudMe services from external access, disable unnecessary network services, and deploy network intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious traffic patterns on port 8888. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and bounds checking in network-facing applications, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for remote command execution and T1071.004 for application layer protocols. Organizations should prioritize patching or upgrading to versions that properly address both CVE-2018-7886 and its predecessor CVE-2018-6892, while also conducting thorough security assessments of similar network services to identify potential incomplete fixes that may create new attack surfaces. The incident serves as a critical reminder of the importance of comprehensive vulnerability management and the potential risks associated with partial security remediations that do not fully address underlying architectural flaws.