CVE-2018-20179
rdesktop versions up to and including v1.8.3 contain an Integer Underflow that leads to a Heap-Based Buffer Overflow in the function lspci_process() and results in memory corruption and probably even a remote code execution.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (6.79%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
rdesktop versions up to and including v1.8.3 contain an Integer Underflow that leads to a Heap-Based Buffer Overflow in the function lspci_process() and results in memory corruption and probably even a remote code execution.
- CVSS 3.0
- 9.8 CRITICALCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 6.79% probability · 94th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-191
- Affected
- rdesktop/rdesktop
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 6.8% 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.
References
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-09/msg00040.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106938
- https://github.com/rdesktop/rdesktop/commit/4dca546d04321a610c1835010b5dad85163b65e1Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/02/msg00030.html
- https://research.checkpoint.com/reverse-rdp-attack-code-execution-on-rdp-clients/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201903-06
- https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4394
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-09/msg00040.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106938
- https://github.com/rdesktop/rdesktop/commit/4dca546d04321a610c1835010b5dad85163b65e1Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/02/msg00030.html
- https://research.checkpoint.com/reverse-rdp-attack-code-execution-on-rdp-clients/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201903-06
- https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4394
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.