CVE-2018-9302 in Cockpit
Summary
by MITRE
SSRF (Server Side Request Forgery) in /assets/lib/fuc.js.php in Cockpit 0.4.4 through 0.5.5 allows remote attackers to read arbitrary files or send TCP traffic to intranet hosts via the url parameter. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2017-14611, which was about version 0.13.0, which (surprisingly) is an earlier version than 0.4.4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/06/2025
The vulnerability CVE-2018-9302 represents a server-side request forgery flaw in the Cockpit content management system affecting versions 0.4.4 through 0.5.5. This issue stems from an incomplete remediation of a previous vulnerability CVE-2017-14611, which was addressed in version 0.13.0, making the timeline confusing as the current vulnerability affects versions that are actually earlier than the fix. The flaw resides in the /assets/lib/fuc.js.php component where the url parameter fails to properly validate input, allowing malicious actors to manipulate the application's behavior. This vulnerability enables remote attackers to perform unauthorized actions by leveraging the application's ability to make HTTP requests to internal network resources.
The technical implementation of this SSRF vulnerability occurs through the improper handling of user-supplied input in the url parameter of the fuc.js.php script. When an attacker provides a crafted URL value, the application processes this input without adequate sanitization or validation, potentially allowing access to internal systems that should remain isolated from external network access. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's file reading capabilities and TCP traffic forwarding mechanisms, enabling attackers to read arbitrary files or establish connections to intranet hosts that would normally be protected by network segmentation. This represents a classic SSRF attack vector where the application acts as an intermediary to access internal resources that are not directly exposed to the internet.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-9302 is significant as it allows attackers to bypass network security controls and access internal systems that should remain protected. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to enumerate internal network services, access sensitive files that contain credentials or configuration data, and potentially escalate their attack to compromise additional systems within the internal network. The vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on Cockpit for content management and may have internal systems that are not properly isolated from the web-facing application. The incomplete fix for CVE-2017-14611 suggests that the development team may have misunderstood or inadequately addressed the original security issue, leading to a regression that leaves the application vulnerable to similar attacks.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-918, which specifically addresses server-side request forgery vulnerabilities where applications fail to properly validate user input before making requests to internal resources. The attack pattern follows the MITRE ATT&CK framework's technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation and T1046 for network service discovery. Organizations should implement comprehensive input validation and sanitization measures to prevent such vulnerabilities, including restricting outbound network connections from web applications and implementing proper network segmentation to isolate internal resources from web-facing applications. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of thorough regression testing when implementing security fixes, as the incomplete remediation of CVE-2017-14611 demonstrates a failure to properly address the underlying architectural flaws that enable SSRF attacks in the application's request handling mechanisms.