CVE-2018-15686
A vulnerability in unit_deserialize of systemd allows an attacker to supply arbitrary state across systemd re-execution via NotifyAccess.
Does this matter?
A public exploit is published in Exploit-DB (verified) and the impact is high, while EPSS rates exploitation at 2.3%. Anyone can run this; patch or mitigate before the next change window and check exposed instances for signs of use.
Description
A vulnerability in unit_deserialize of systemd allows an attacker to supply arbitrary state across systemd re-execution via NotifyAccess. This can be used to improperly influence systemd execution and possibly lead to root privilege escalation. Affected releases are systemd versions up to and including 239.
- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 2.26% probability · 83th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 29 October 2018
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-502
- Affected
- canonical/ubuntu linux · debian/debian linux · systemd project/systemd · oracle/communications cloud native core network function cloud native environment
- Source
- security@ubuntu.com
EPSS 2.3% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. 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://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105747Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2091Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3222Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0593Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/10519Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r1b103833cb5bc8466e24ff0ecc5e75b45a705334ab6a444e64e840a0%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/11/msg00017.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201810-10Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3816-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45714/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.oracle.com//security-alerts/cpujul2021.htmlThird Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105747Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2091Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3222Third Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0593Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/10519Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r1b103833cb5bc8466e24ff0ecc5e75b45a705334ab6a444e64e840a0%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/11/msg00017.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201810-10Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3816-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45714/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.oracle.com//security-alerts/cpujul2021.htmlThird Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.