CVE-2018-9157
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 · uneditedAn issue was discovered on AXIS M1033-W (IP camera) Firmware version 5.40.5.1 devices. The upload web page doesn't verify the file type, and an attacker can upload a webshell by making a fileUpload.shtml request for a custom .shtml file, which is interpreted by the Apache HTTP Server mod_include module with "<!--#exec cmd=" support. The file needs to include a specific string to meet the internal system architecture. After the webshell upload, an attacker can use the webshell to perform remote code execution such as running a system command (ls, ping, cat /etc/passwd, etc.). NOTE: the vendor reportedly indicates that this is an intended feature or functionality
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 · high confidenceThe AXIS M1033-W IP camera firmware 5.40.5.1 has an insecure file upload vulnerability. The web upload functionality lacks file type validation, allowing attackers to upload malicious .shtml files that Apache parses via mod_include. The SSI directive <!--#exec cmd=...--> enables arbitrary command execution on the device.
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= 5.40.5.1CVSS 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
- High
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/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.
-
Identify the device modelAccess the camera web interface or check device documentation to confirm the exact model number is AXIS M1033-WAffected if The device model is AXIS M1033-W
-
Check firmware versionNavigate to the camera's admin page (typically System > About or Settings > Basic Setup > About) to view the installed firmware versionAffected if The firmware version is exactly 5.40.5.1
-
Verify web interface accessibilityAttempt to access the camera web interface on HTTP/HTTPS ports (typically 80/443 or 8080)Affected if The web interface is reachable on the network
-
Confirm upload feature is enabledLook for upload functionality in the web interface (typically under System > Tools > Upload or Configuration > Video > Upload)Affected if A file upload feature is present and accessible
You are affected if you have an AXIS M1033-W camera running firmware version 5.40.5.1 with the web interface and upload feature accessible on your network.
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.
From vendor dataPrimary mitigations include: disable the upload feature if unnecessary; implement strict file type validation to reject .shtml and other server-executable extensions; disable mod_include SSI execution in Apache config; or obtain a vendor firmware patch. Network segmentation limits exposure to this RCE vector.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation16.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $10,240.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2018-9157 — 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-2018-9157 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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
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