HIGH CVSS 8.8
Published: 2018-02-01

CVE-2018-6186

citrix netscaler Security Advisory (CVE-2018-6186)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2018-6186 impacting citrix netscaler. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 8.8 (HIGH).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
Citrix NetScaler VPX through NS12.0 53.13.nc allows an SSRF attack via the /rapi/read_url URI by an authenticated attacker who has a webapp account. The attacker can gain access to the nsroot account, and execute remote commands with root privileges.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
Low (PR:L)
Standard user access required
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product citrix / netscaler
Affected Versions 12.0
Weakness Enumeration CWE-918

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2018-6186 impacting citrix netscaler.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2018-6186.yaml
id: cve-2018-6186

info:
  name: citrix netscaler - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: high
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2018-6186 affecting citrix netscaler.
    Evaluation: Citrix NetScaler VPX through NS12.0 53.13.nc allows an SSRF attack via the /rapi/read_url URI by an authenticated attacker who has a webapp account. T...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2018-6186
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 8.8
    cve-id: CVE-2018-6186
    cwe-id: CWE-918
  tags: cve,cve-2018-6186,citrix,netscaler,high

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "netscaler"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2018-6186.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2018-6186
# Target: citrix netscaler | CVSS: 8.8 (HIGH)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2018-6186 (citrix netscaler)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against citrix netscaler scope (12.0).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2018-6186.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2018-6186
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install netscaler 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade netscaler 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update netscaler

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i netscaler 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i netscaler

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2018-6186 in citrix netscaler?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update citrix netscaler packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2018-6186?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2018-6186?

CVE-2018-6186 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 8.8 (HIGH). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
8.8
HIGH SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2018-6186
Weakness CWE-918
Vendor citrix
Product netscaler
Published 2018-02-01
Vector CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H