CVE-2018-16873
In Go before 1.10.6 and 1.11.x before 1.11.3, the "go get" command is vulnerable to remote code execution when executed with the -u flag and the import path of a malicious Go package, or a package that imports it directly or indirectly.
Does this matter?
EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 66.3%, higher than 99% of all known CVEs. Patch or mitigate before the next change window.
Description
In Go before 1.10.6 and 1.11.x before 1.11.3, the "go get" command is vulnerable to remote code execution when executed with the -u flag and the import path of a malicious Go package, or a package that imports it directly or indirectly. Specifically, it is only vulnerable in GOPATH mode, but not in module mode (the distinction is documented at https://golang.org/cmd/go/#hdr-Module_aware_go_get). Using custom domains, it's possible to arrange things so that a Git repository is cloned to a folder named ".git" by using a vanity import path that ends with "/.git". If the Git repository root contains a "HEAD" file, a "config" file, an "objects" directory, a "refs" directory, with some work to ensure the proper ordering of operations, "go get -u" can be tricked into considering the parent directory as a repository root, and running Git commands on it. That will use the "config" file in the original Git repository root for its configuration, and if that config file contains malicious commands, they will execute on the system running "go get -u".
- CVSS 3.1
- 8.1 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 66.25% probability · 99th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-20
- Affected
- golang/go · opensuse/backports sle · opensuse/leap · suse/linux enterprise server · debian/debian linux
- Source
- secalert@redhat.com
EPSS 66.3% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-03/msg00044.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-05/msg00060.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00011.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00015.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-07/msg00010.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-04/msg00041.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106226Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16873Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://groups.google.com/forum/?pli=1#%21topic/golang-announce/Kw31K8G7Fi0
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/03/msg00014.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/03/msg00015.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201812-09Mitigation, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-03/msg00044.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-05/msg00060.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00011.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00015.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-07/msg00010.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-04/msg00041.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106226Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16873Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://groups.google.com/forum/?pli=1#%21topic/golang-announce/Kw31K8G7Fi0
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/03/msg00014.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/03/msg00015.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201812-09Mitigation, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.