CVE-2018-1774: IBM API Connect: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File

Recommended actionWithin 7 days

High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.

Fix not verified

What, why and how

IBM API Connect 5.0.0.0, 5.0.8.4, 2018.1 and 2018.3.6 is vulnerable to CSV injection via the developer portal and analytics that could contain malicious commands that would be executed once opened by an administrator. IBM X-Force ID: 148692.

What

Why

The product saves user-provided information into a Comma-Separated Value (CSV) file, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as a command when the file is opened by a spreadsheet product.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

What

Why

How

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation

Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.

No confirmed evidence

No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.

Public PoC / exploit material

Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.

None recorded

No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.

Likely attack path: a network path → Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface: Network
Privileges required: Low: a basic authenticated account is required
User interaction: Required interaction required
Attack complexity: Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary: Changed: exploitation can affect a different security authority
Weakness ? CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.: CWE-1236 ↗
CWE-1236: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File. The product saves user-provided information into a Comma-Separated Value (CSV) file, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could be interpreted as a command when the file is opened by a spreadsheet product.
CVSS vector ? CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.: CVSS:3.0/A:L/AC:L/AV:N/C:H/I:H/PR:L/S:C/UI:R/E:U/RC:C/RL:O
Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.0: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.
ALowAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a limited loss.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.PRLowPrivileges required: The attacker needs basic user-level privileges.SChangedScope: The attack can affect a component governed by a different security authority.UIRequiredUser interaction: Another user must perform an action for exploitation to succeed.
Post-exploitation / living off the land: No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.

NetworkCWE-1236

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2018-12353Official EUVD mapping

0 linked advisory records.

Official EUVD record ↗

JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2018-011792IBM API Connect における CSV ファイル内の数式要素の中和に関する脆弱性

IBM API Connect には、CSV ファイル内の数式要素の中和に関する脆弱性が存在します。ベンダは、本脆弱性を IBM X-Force ID: 148692 として公開しています。

Official advisory ↗

Patch and workaround

Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.

Status ? Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.: Fix not verified
Affected: API Connect: 5.0.0.0, 2018.1, 5.0.8.4, 2018.3.6
Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
Action: No verified patch reference is present in the current structured sources. Check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Workaround: No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.

Evidence and provenance

Published 9 Nov 2018 · Last source change 16 Sept 2024, 19:45 UTC · CWE-1236 · Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1

CVSS sourceCNA

EPSS source

The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.

FIRST · tracked since 2026-09-01

European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2018-12353

Product sourceCNA

Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references

CWE sourceNIST NVD

NVD statusNVD modified after enrichment

Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗

1 Sep 2026, 02:42 UTC
ENISA EUVD mappingEUVD-2018-12353 was added to the official ENISA EUVD mapping for this CVE.
Before
not recorded
After
{"euvdId":"EUVD-2018-12353"}
ENISA EUVD ↗
16 Sep 2024, 19:45 UTC
Vendor guidanceAuthoritative vendor guidance changed: added vendor advisory: exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/148692; added vendor advisory: ibm.com/docview.wss?uid=ibm10737867.
Before
no authoritative guidance recorded
After
vendor advisory: exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/148692 · vendor advisory: ibm.com/docview.wss?uid=ibm10737867
ibm.com ↗
16 Sep 2024, 19:45 UTC
Catalogue recordCVE added to the BlackTree catalogue.
CNA ↗

2018-11-09CVE published

ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2018-12353↗CVE authority or vendor reference↗Vendor advisory↗Official CVE record (CNA and ADP data)↗NVD record↗

Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report

CVE: Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS: Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS: Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE: Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA: CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD: National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT: A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC: Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF: Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL: Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.

IBM API Connect: Improper Neutralization of Formula Elements in a CSV File

Published severity in operational context

Evidence used

Compensating controls

Verification

National CERT insights
?
CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

EUVD-2018-12353