CVE-2018-6521: Critical severity SimpleSAMLphp SimpleSAMLphp vulnerability

Published Jan 31, 2018
·
Updated

The sqlauth module in SimpleSAMLphp before 1.15.2 relies on the MySQL utf8 charset, which truncates queries upon encountering four-byte characters. There might be a scenario in which this allows remote attackers to bypass intended access restrictions.

Other sources

Use of insecure connection charset (sqlauth module)

Affected Software

7 affected componentsFixes available
composer/simplesamlphp/simplesamlphp<1.15.2
debian/simplesamlphp
1.16.3-1+deb10u21.16.3-1+deb10u11.19.0-11.19.7-1
composer/simplesamlphp/simplesamlphp<1.15.2
1.15.2
SimpleSAMLphp SimpleSAMLphp<1.15.2
Debian Debian Linux=7.0
Debian Debian Linux=8.0
Debian Debian Linux=9.0

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/simplesamlphp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.16.3-1+deb10u2Fixed in 1.16.3-1+deb10u1Fixed in 1.19.0-1Fixed in 1.19.7-1
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade composer/simplesamlphp/simplesamlphp to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.15.2
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade SimpleSAMLphp sqlauth module to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 1.15.2
  4. Compensating control

    Mitigate by avoiding MySQL utf8 charset usage with the sqlauth module because it truncates queries on four-byte characters, which may allow bypass of intended access restrictions.

Event History

Jan 31, 2018
Advisory Published
10:34 AM
Feb 2, 2018
CVE Published
via MITRE·01:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·01:00 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·01:29 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2018-6521?

CVE-2018-6521 is a vulnerability in the sqlauth module of SimpleSAMLphp before version 1.15.2 that allows remote attackers to bypass access restrictions.

2

What is the severity of CVE-2018-6521?

The severity of CVE-2018-6521 is critical with a CVSS score of 9.8.

3

How does CVE-2018-6521 impact SimpleSAMLphp?

CVE-2018-6521 impacts SimpleSAMLphp by relying on the MySQL utf8 charset, which can truncate queries containing four-byte characters.

4

How can remote attackers exploit CVE-2018-6521?

Remote attackers can exploit CVE-2018-6521 to bypass intended access restrictions.

5

How can I fix CVE-2018-6521?

To fix CVE-2018-6521, update SimpleSAMLphp to version 1.15.2 or higher.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203