systemd: stack overflow when receiving many journald entries
Published Jan 11, 2019
7.8
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 3.02%
Description
An allocation of memory without limits, that could result in the stack clashing with another memory region, was discovered in systemd-journald when many entries are sent to the journal socket. A local attacker, or a remote one if systemd-journal-remote is used, may use this flaw to crash systemd-journald or execute code with journald 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
- 7.3
- 7.6
- 7.5
- 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 an 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 Enterprise Linux 7 ships systemd-journal-remote through the optional systemd-journal-gateway package, which is not installed, nor enabled by default.
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:N/AC:H/PR:L/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
PartialDecision
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 v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
Table of values (13 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 3.02% (0.03016) | 86.96th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 2.96% (0.02958) | 85.37th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Nov 18, 2025 | 0.42% (0.00423) | 59.39th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 2.07% (0.02073) | 82.37th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 6.79% (0.06788) | 85.13th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 2.07% (0.02073) | 82.76th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00044) | 11.89th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 4, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00044) | 13.12th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00044) | 11.12th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.86% (0.01864) | 77.24th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.86% (0.01864) | 54.47th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 4.19% (0.04190) | 74.02th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 4.00% (0.04005) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (25)
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/152841/System-Down-A-systemd-journald-Exploit.html x_refsource_MISCThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/May/21 mailing-listx_refsource_FULLDISCMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2019/05/10/4 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/07/20/2 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106525 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-2018-16865 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1653861 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16865 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatch
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/01/msg00016.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16865
- https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/May/25 mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- 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-2018-16865
- 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.