CVE-2018-6516
On Windows only, with a specifically crafted configuration file an attacker could get Puppet PE client tools (aka pe-client-tools) 16.4.x prior to 16.4.6, 17.3.x prior to 17.3.6, and 18.1.x prior to 18.1.2 to load arbitrary code with privilege escalation.
Does this matter?
High impact if exploited, but EPSS currently rates exploitation as unlikely (0.85%). Schedule it in the normal patch cycle and watch for a rise in EPSS or a public exploit.
Description
On Windows only, with a specifically crafted configuration file an attacker could get Puppet PE client tools (aka pe-client-tools) 16.4.x prior to 16.4.6, 17.3.x prior to 17.3.6, and 18.1.x prior to 18.1.2 to load arbitrary code with privilege escalation.
- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.85% probability · 58th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Affected
- puppet/puppet enterprise client tools
- Source
- security@puppet.com
EPSS 0.8% 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.
References
- https://puppet.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-6516Vendor Advisory
- https://puppet.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-6516Vendor Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.