systemd up to 239 unit_deserialize deserialization

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.9$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability labeled as critical has been found in systemd up to 239. This affects the function unit_deserialize. Such manipulation leads to deserialization. This vulnerability is documented as CVE-2018-15686. The attack can be executed remotely. Additionally, an exploit exists. The affected component should be upgraded.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in systemd up to 239 and classified as critical. Affected by this issue is the function unit_deserialize. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a deserialization vulnerability. Using CWE to declare the problem leads to CWE-502. The product deserializes untrusted data without sufficiently verifying that the resulting data will be valid. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

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.

The bug was discovered 10/26/2018. The weakness was released 10/26/2018 by Jann Horn with Google Project Zero (Website). The advisory is shared for download at securityfocus.com. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2018-15686 since 08/22/2018. The exploitation is known to be easy. The attack may be launched remotely. No form of authentication is required for exploitation. Technical details as well as a public exploit are known.

The exploit is available at exploit-db.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. As 0-day the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 118510 (GLSA-201810-10 : systemd: Multiple vulnerabilities), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Gentoo Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 277521 (Fedora Security Update for systemd.git438ac26 (FEDORA-2018-24bd6c9d4a)).

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published 5 days after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Exploit-DB (45714), Tenable (118510) and SecurityFocus (BID 105747†). Entries connected to this vulnerability are available at VDB-113508, VDB-125997 and VDB-125998. Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.2
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.9

VulDB Base Score: 9.8
VulDB Temp Score: 8.8
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 7.8
NVD Vector: 🔍

CNA Base Score: 7.0
CNA Vector (Canonical Ltd.): 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
VulDB Temp Score: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 🔍

Exploitinginfo

Class: Deserialization
CWE: CWE-502 / CWE-20
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Yes

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 118510
Nessus Name: GLSA-201810-10 : systemd: Multiple vulnerabilities
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
Exposure Time: 🔍

Patch: github.com

Timelineinfo

08/22/2018 🔍
10/26/2018 +65 days 🔍
10/26/2018 +0 days 🔍
10/26/2018 +0 days 🔍
10/26/2018 +0 days 🔍
10/27/2018 +1 days 🔍
10/30/2018 +3 days 🔍
10/31/2018 +1 days 🔍
06/09/2025 +2413 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Product: github.com

Advisory: RHSA-2019:2091⛔
Researcher: Jann Horn
Organization: Google Project Zero
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2018-15686 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2018-15686
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-125996
SecurityFocus: 105747 - systemd CVE-2018-15686 Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 10/27/2018 18:25
Updated: 06/09/2025 19:58
Changes: 10/27/2018 18:25 (72), 04/06/2020 20:16 (10), 06/03/2023 09:13 (5), 06/03/2023 09:16 (12), 12/01/2024 07:21 (14), 06/09/2025 19:58 (8)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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