CVE-2018-7679
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedMicro Focus Solutions Business Manager versions prior to 11.4 when ASP.NET is configured with execute permission on the virtual directories and does not validate the contents of user avatar images, could lead to remote code execution.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceIn Micro Focus Solutions Business Manager versions before 11.4, the application fails to validate the content of uploaded avatar images when ASP.NET is configured with execute permissions on virtual directories. This allows attackers to upload malicious files disguised as images (e.g., ASP webshells) that can then be executed remotely, leading to complete system compromise.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 11.4CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Determine the installed version of Solutions Business ManagerCheck the product version through the Solutions Business Manager administration console, registry, or installed program information. Compare against version 11.4.Affected if Installed version is below 11.4
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Identify virtual directories configured for file uploadsReview the IIS and ASP.NET configuration to locate virtual directories used for avatar or file upload functionality.Affected if Virtual directories used for uploads exist in the configuration
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Check execute permissions on upload virtual directoriesInspect the execute permissions setting on identified virtual directories in IIS. Look for settings that allow script or executable execution (such as 'Scripts and Executables' or similar execute permission levels).Affected if Execute permissions are enabled on virtual directories used for file uploads
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Verify if avatar upload feature is accessibleDetermine if the avatar upload feature is enabled and accessible to users. Check if unauthenticated or low-privilege users can access the upload functionality.Affected if Avatar upload functionality is enabled and accessible to users
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Inspect file upload validation configurationReview the application's file upload validation logic to determine if it performs content-type or magic byte validation beyond just file extension checking.Affected if Application performs only extension-based validation without checking actual file content
You are affected if Solutions Business Manager version is below 11.4 AND virtual directories for file uploads have execute permissions enabled, allowing potential upload and execution of malicious files.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped11.4
Upgrade to version 11.4 or later. Additionally, remove execute permissions from virtual directories used for file uploads and implement proper file content validation (magic byte checking, not just file extension) for all user-uploaded content.
11.4
- Back up the current Solutions Business Manager installation, including all databases and configuration files
- Download Solutions Business Manager version 11.4 or later from the Micro Focus download portal
- Review the SBM 11.4 installation and upgrade documentation (help.serena.com) for version-specific upgrade procedures
- Stop all SBM services before beginning the upgrade process
- Run the SBM 11.4 installer and follow the upgrade wizard instructions
- After upgrading, verify that ASP.NET execute permissions are NOT enabled on virtual directories containing user-uploaded content (such as avatar upload directories)
- Restart SBM services and verify the application functions correctly
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
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- Implementation12.0 h
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- Review / QA4.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2018-7679 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2018-7679 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data