CVE-2018-16866: Infoleak

Published Nov 27, 2018
·
Updated

A flaw was found in systemd-journald. An out-of-bounds read when parsing a crafted syslog message that could lead to information disclosure.

Other sources

An out of bounds read was discovered in systemd-journald in the way it parses log messages that terminate with a colon ':'. A local attacker can use this flaw to disclose process memory data. Versions from v221 to v239 are vulnerable.

Launchpad

Affected Software

28 affected componentsFixes available
Systemd Project Systemd>=221<=239
Debian Debian Linux=9.0
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.10
NetApp Active Iq Performance Analytics Services
NetApp Element Software
redhat Enterprise Linux=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux Compute Node Eus=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux For Ibm Z Systems \(structure A\)=7_s390x
redhat Enterprise Linux For Ibm Z Systems Eus=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux For Power Big Endian=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux For Power Big Endian Eus=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux For Power Little Endian=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux For Power Little Endian Eus=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux For Scientific Computing=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus=7.4
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux Server For Power Little Endian Update Services For Sap Solutions=7.4
redhat Enterprise Linux Server For Power Little Endian Update Services For Sap Solutions=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Tus=7.4
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Tus=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Update Services For Sap Solutions=7.4
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Update Services For Sap Solutions=7.6
redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation=7.0
debian/systemd
247.3-7+deb11u5247.3-7+deb11u6252.36-1~deb12u1252.38-1~deb12u1257.6-1

Event History

Nov 27, 2018
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·07:14 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 11, 2019
CVE Published
via MITRE·07:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·07:00 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Data Sourced
via NVD·07:29 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·10:54 PM
Description
Jun 17, 2025
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·03:47 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Debian·03:48 PM
DescriptionAffected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2018-16866?

CVE-2018-16866 is a vulnerability found in systemd-journald that allows a local attacker to disclose process memory data by exploiting an out-of-bounds read when parsing log messages terminating with a colon.

2

Which software versions are affected by CVE-2018-16866?

Versions from v221 to v239 of systemd-journald, Debian Debian Linux 9.0, Canonical Ubuntu Linux 16.04, 18.04, and 18.10, Netapp Active Iq Performance Analytics Services, Netapp Element Software, and various versions of Redhat Enterprise Linux are affected.

3

What is the severity of CVE-2018-16866?

CVE-2018-16866 has a severity rating of medium with a CVSS score of 3.3.

4

How can I fix CVE-2018-16866 on my system?

To fix CVE-2018-16866, you should apply the appropriate security patches provided by your operating system vendor or upgrade to a non-vulnerable version of systemd-journald.

5

Where can I find more information about CVE-2018-16866?

You can find more information about CVE-2018-16866 on the MITRE CVE database (https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2018-16866), Ubuntu security notices (https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-3855-1), and NIST NVD (https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16866).

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