CVE-2018-8039

HIGH

Apache CXF < 3.1.16 and 3.2.0-3.2.5 - Improper TLS Hostname Verification

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2018-8039. PoCs published by tafamace.

AI-analyzed exploit summary The provided code is a simple Java stub that prints command-line arguments and does not demonstrate any exploit functionality for CVE-2018-8039. It lacks any offensive techniques or vulnerability-specific logic.

Description

It is possible to configure Apache CXF to use the com.sun.net.ssl implementation via 'System.setProperty("java.protocol.handler.pkgs", "com.sun.net.ssl.internal.www.protocol");'. When this system property is set, CXF uses some reflection to try to make the HostnameVerifier work with the old com.sun.net.ssl.HostnameVerifier interface. However, the default HostnameVerifier implementation in CXF does not implement the method in this interface, and an exception is thrown. However, in Apache CXF prior to 3.2.5 and 3.1.16 the exception is caught in the reflection code and not properly propagated. What this means is that if you are using the com.sun.net.ssl stack with CXF, an error with TLS hostname verification will not be thrown, leaving a CXF client subject to man-in-the-middle attacks.

Exploits (1)

nomisec STUB
by tafamace · poc
https://github.com/tafamace/CVE-2018-8039

The provided code is a simple Java stub that prints command-line arguments and does not demonstrate any exploit functionality for CVE-2018-8039. It lacks any offensive techniques or vulnerability-specific logic.

Classification
Stub 90%
Attack Type
Other
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Theoretical
Target: unknown
No auth needed
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (24)

Core 24
Core References
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2428
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3817
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2643
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106357
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2279
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2424
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2276
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2423
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2425
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2277
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_sectrack
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041199
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3768

Scores

CVSS v3 8.1
EPSS 0.1039
EPSS Percentile 95.1%
Attack Vector NETWORK
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Details

CWE
CWE-755
Status published
Products (4)
apache/cxf < 3.1.16
org.apache.cxf/apache-cxf 3.2.0 - 3.2.5Maven
org.apache.cxf/cxf-rt-transports-http 3.2.0 - 3.2.5Maven
redhat/jboss_enterprise_application_platform 7.1.0
Published Jul 02, 2018
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026