CVE-2018-14598: Input Validation

Published Aug 24, 2018
·
Updated

An issue was discovered in ListExt.c:XListExtensions and GetFPath.c:XGetFontPath in libX11 through version 1.6.5. A malicious server can send a reply in which the first string overflows, causing a variable to be set to NULL that will be freed later on, leading to DoS (segmentation fault).

References: http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2018/08/21/6 https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2018-August/002916.html

Upstream Patch: https://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/lib/libX11/commit/?id=e83722768fd5c467ef61fa159e8c6278770b45c2

Other sources

An issue was discovered in XListExtensions in ListExt.c in libX11 through 1.6.5. A malicious server can send a reply in which the first string overflows, causing a variable to be set to NULL that will be freed later on, leading to DoS (segmentation fault).

MITRE

Affected Software

9 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/libX11<1.6.6
1.6.6
X.Org libX11<=1.6.5
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=12.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=14.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.04
Debian Debian Linux=8.0
Fedoraproject Fedora=28
debian/libx11
2:1.7.2-1+deb11u22:1.8.4-2+deb12u22:1.8.12-1

Event History

Aug 24, 2018
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:00 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·07:29 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Feb 19, 2026
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·06:36 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·06:36 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via Debian·06:36 PM
DescriptionAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2018-14598?

CVE-2018-14598 is a vulnerability in libX11 that allows a malicious server to cause a denial of service (DoS) by sending a reply with a string that overflows.

2

How severe is CVE-2018-14598?

CVE-2018-14598 has a severity rating of 7.5 (High).

3

What software is affected by CVE-2018-14598?

The affected software includes libX11 versions up to and including 1.6.5, X.Org libX11, Canonical Ubuntu Linux versions 12.04, 14.04, 16.04, and 18.04, Debian Debian Linux version 8.0, and Fedoraproject Fedora version 28.

4

How do I fix CVE-2018-14598?

To fix CVE-2018-14598, you should update to libX11 version 1.6.6 or higher.

5

Where can I find more information about CVE-2018-14598?

You can find more information about CVE-2018-14598 at the following links: [Openwall](http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2018/08/21/6), [X.Org](https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2018-August/002916.html), and [Freedesktop](https://cgit.freedesktop.org/xorg/lib/libX11/commit/?id=e83722768fd5c467ef61fa159e8c6278770b45c2).

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