CVE-2018-1120
By mmap()ing a FUSE-backed file onto a process's memory containing command line arguments (or environment strings), an attacker can cause utilities from psutils or procps (such as ps, w) or any other program which makes a read() call to the…
Does this matter?
A public exploit is published in Exploit-DB, so the technical barrier is gone even though the severity is medium and EPSS is 7.1%. Treat it as high on anything reachable from the internet.
Description
A flaw was found affecting the Linux kernel before version 4.17. By mmap()ing a FUSE-backed file onto a process's memory containing command line arguments (or environment strings), an attacker can cause utilities from psutils or procps (such as ps, w) or any other program which makes a read() call to the /proc/<pid>/cmdline (or /proc/<pid>/environ) files to block indefinitely (denial of service) or for some controlled time (as a synchronization primitive for other attacks).
- CVSS 3.0
- 5.3 MEDIUMCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- EPSS
- 7.06% probability · 94th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · first 30 May 2018
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-122, CWE-119
- Affected
- linux/linux kernel · redhat/virtualization host · redhat/enterprise linux desktop · redhat/enterprise linux server · redhat/enterprise linux workstation · debian/debian linux · canonical/ubuntu linux
- Source
- secalert@redhat.com
EPSS 7.1% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
Public exploits (1)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2018/q2/122Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/104229Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2948Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3083Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3096Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-1120Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=7f7ccc2ccc2e70c6054685f5e3522efa81556830Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/07/msg00020.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201805-14Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3752-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3752-2/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3752-3/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3910-1/
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3910-2/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44806/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2018/q2/122Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/104229Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2948Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3083Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3096Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-1120Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=7f7ccc2ccc2e70c6054685f5e3522efa81556830Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/07/msg00020.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201805-14Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3752-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3752-2/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3752-3/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3910-1/
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3910-2/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44806/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.