systemd: stack overflow when calling syslog from a command with long cmdline
Published Jan 11, 2019
7.8
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.71%
Description
An allocation of memory without limits, that could result in the stack clashing with another memory region, was discovered in systemd-journald when a program with long command line arguments calls syslog. A local attacker may use this flaw to crash systemd-journald or escalate his privileges. Versions through v240 are vulnerable.
Affected products
-
- Version through v240StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The systemd Project | Systemd | n/a |
|
Configuration 1
- ≤ 240
Configuration 2
- 7.0
- 7.0
- 7.4
- 7.5
- 7.6
- 7.3
- 7.6
- 7.4
- 7.6
- 7.3
- 7.6
- 7.0
Configuration 3
- 8.0
- 9.0
Configuration 4
- 16.04
- 18.04
- 18.10
Configuration 5
- 8.0.0
- 8.1.0
- 8.2.0
- 3.0.0
- 3.1.0
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
systemd-0:219-62.el7_6.2
Fixed · RHSA-2019:0049
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 Advanced Update Support
systemd-0:219-30.el7_3.13
Fixed · RHSA-2019:2402
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 Telco Extended Update Support
systemd-0:219-30.el7_3.13
Fixed · RHSA-2019:2402
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 Update Services for SAP Solutions
systemd-0:219-30.el7_3.13
Fixed · RHSA-2019:2402
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Extended Update Support
systemd-0:219-42.el7_4.13
Fixed · RHSA-2019:0271
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.5 Extended Update Support
systemd-0:219-57.el7_5.5
Fixed · RHSA-2019:0204
Red Hat Virtualization 4 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
redhat-release-virtualization-host-0:4.2-8.1.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2019:0342
Red Hat Virtualization 4 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
redhat-virtualization-host-0:4.2-20190129.0.el7_6
Fixed · RHSA-2019:0342
Red Hat Virtualization 4 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
rhvm-appliance-0:4.2-20190129.0.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2019:0361
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
systemd
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | systemd-0:219-62.el7_6.2 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:0049 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 Advanced Update Support | systemd-0:219-30.el7_3.13 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2402 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 Telco Extended Update Support | systemd-0:219-30.el7_3.13 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2402 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 Update Services for SAP Solutions | systemd-0:219-30.el7_3.13 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2402 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Extended Update Support | systemd-0:219-42.el7_4.13 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:0271 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.5 Extended Update Support | systemd-0:219-57.el7_5.5 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:0204 |
| Red Hat Virtualization 4 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | redhat-release-virtualization-host-0:4.2-8.1.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:0342 |
| Red Hat Virtualization 4 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | redhat-virtualization-host-0:4.2-20190129.0.el7_6 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:0342 |
| Red Hat Virtualization 4 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | rhvm-appliance-0:4.2-20190129.0.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:0361 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | systemd | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
This issue affects the versions of systemd as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7. Red Hat Product Security has rated this issue as having a security impact of Important because it allows a local attacker to crash systemd-journald or escalate his privileges. For additional information, refer to the Issue Severity Classification: https://access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification/.
Red Hat mitigation
To increase the time an attacker needs to exploit this flaw you could override the `StartLimitInterval=` (called StartLimitIntervalSec in newer systemd versions) and `StartLimitBurst=` settings. In this way the attack may require much longer to be successful. To edit the journald service use `sudo systemctl edit systemd-journald.service` and add: ``` [Service] StartLimitInterval=120 StartLimitBurst=3 ```
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
CISA SSVC (Vulnrichment)
Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization from CISA ADP.
Exploitation
NoneAutomatable
NoTechnical Impact
TotalDecision
n/aAssessed Jun 9, 2025 · SSVC 2.0.3
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (15 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.71% (0.00711) | 51.85th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.72% (0.00717) | 48.80th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.20% (0.00199) | 39.92th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00044) | 11.89th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 2, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00044) | 10.25th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00044) | 8.24th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 74.98th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 74.94th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 72.92th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 51.82th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 1.99% (0.01987) | 50.13th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 1.99% (0.01987) | 49.62th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 1.99% (0.01987) | 76.72th | v1 |
| Jul 21, 2021 | 1.99% (0.01987) | 0.00th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 1.88% (0.01878) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (21)
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/07/20/2 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing List
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106523 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2019:0327 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0049 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0204 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0271 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0342 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:0361 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2402 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-16864 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1653855 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16864 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/01/msg00016.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16864
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201903-07 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOOThird Party Advisory
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190117-0001/ x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3855-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16864
- https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4367 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
- https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuapr2019-5072813.html x_refsource_MISCPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://www.qualys.com/2019/01/09/system-down/system-down.txt x_refsource_MISCExploitThird Party Advisory
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.