CVE-2018-16115
9.1 · CRITICALLightbend Akka 2.5.x before 2.5.16 allows message disclosure and modification because of an RNG error.
Overview
CVE-2018-16115 is a critical-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 29, 2018 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 9.1 (CRITICAL).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 9.1, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical description
Lightbend Akka 2.5.x before 2.5.16 allows message disclosure and modification because of an RNG error. A random number generator is used in Akka Remoting for TLS (both classic and Artery Remoting). Akka allows configuration of custom random number generators. For historical reasons, Akka included the AES128CounterSecureRNG and AES256CounterSecureRNG random number generators. The implementations had a bug that caused the generated numbers to be repeated after only a few bytes. The custom RNG implementations were not configured by default but examples in the documentation showed (and therefore implicitly recommended) using the custom ones. This can be used by an attacker to compromise the communication if these random number generators are enabled in configuration. It would be possible to eavesdrop, replay, or modify the messages sent with Akka Remoting/Cluster.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
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Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2018-16115?
CVE-2018-16115 is a critical-severity vulnerability. It was published on August 29, 2018 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 9.1 (CRITICAL).
How severe is CVE-2018-16115?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 9.1, rated CRITICAL. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2018-16115?
Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2018-16115?
CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2018-16115 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.
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