CVE-2018-14665
X server allows unprivileged users with the ability to log in to the system via physical console to escalate their privileges and run arbitrary code under root privileges.
Does this matter?
EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 27.2%, higher than 98% of all known CVEs. Patch or mitigate before the next change window.
Description
A flaw was found in xorg-x11-server before 1.20.3. An incorrect permission check for -modulepath and -logfile options when starting Xorg. X server allows unprivileged users with the ability to log in to the system via physical console to escalate their privileges and run arbitrary code under root privileges.
- CVSS 3.0
- 6.6 MEDIUMCVSS:3.0/AV:P/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 27.24% probability · 98th percentile
- Public exploits
- 8 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 25 October 2018
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-863
- Affected
- x.org/x server · redhat/enterprise linux desktop · redhat/enterprise linux server · redhat/enterprise linux server aus · redhat/enterprise linux server eus · redhat/enterprise linux server tus · redhat/enterprise linux workstation · canonical/ubuntu linux · debian/debian linux
- Source
- secalert@redhat.com
EPSS moved from 53.6% on 21 September 2026 to 27.2% on 27 October 2026. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”.
Public exploits (8)
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.
| EDB-ID | Title | Type | Published | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDB-47701source ↗ | Xorg X11 Server - Local Privilege Escalation (Metasploit)unix · Metasploit | local | 20 November 2019 | yes |
| EDB-46142source ↗ | xorg-x11-server < 1.20.3 (Solaris 11) - 'inittab Local Privilege Escalationsolaris · Marco Ivaldi | local | 14 January 2019 | no |
| EDB-45938source ↗ | Xorg X11 Server (AIX) - Local Privilege Escalationaix · 0xdono | local | 4 December 2018 | no |
| EDB-45922source ↗ | xorg-x11-server < 1.20.3 - 'modulepath' Local Privilege Escalationmultiple · Marco Ivaldi | local | 30 November 2018 | no |
| EDB-45908source ↗ | Xorg X11 Server - SUID privilege escalation (Metasploit)multiple · Metasploit | local | 26 November 2018 | yes |
| EDB-45832source ↗ | xorg-x11-server < 1.20.1 - Local Privilege Escalationlinux · bolonobolo | local | 13 November 2018 | no |
| EDB-45742source ↗ | xorg-x11-server 1.20.3 - Privilege Escalationopenbsd · Marco Ivaldi | local | 30 October 2018 | no |
| EDB-45697source ↗ | xorg-x11-server < 1.20.3 - Local Privilege Escalationmultiple · Hacker Fantastic | local | 25 October 2018 | no |
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154942/Xorg-X11-Server-SUID-modulepath-Privilege-Escalation.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155276/Xorg-X11-Server-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105741Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041948Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3410Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-14665Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/50c0cf885a6e91c0ea71fb49fa8f1b7c86fe330ePatch, Third Party Advisory
- https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/8a59e3b7dbb30532a7c3769c555e00d7c4301170Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2018-October/002927.htmlMitigation, Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201810-09Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3802-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4328Third Party Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45697/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45742/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45832/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45908/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45922/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45938/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46142/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.securepatterns.com/2018/10/cve-2018-14665-xorg-x-server.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154942/Xorg-X11-Server-SUID-modulepath-Privilege-Escalation.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155276/Xorg-X11-Server-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105741Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041948Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3410Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-14665Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/50c0cf885a6e91c0ea71fb49fa8f1b7c86fe330ePatch, Third Party Advisory
- https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/8a59e3b7dbb30532a7c3769c555e00d7c4301170Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2018-October/002927.htmlMitigation, Patch, Vendor Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201810-09Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.