systemd: out-of-bounds read when parsing a crafted syslog message
Published Jan 11, 2019
3.3
LOWCVSS 3.1
EPSS 1.05%
Description
An out of bounds read was discovered in systemd-journald in the way it parses log messages that terminate with a colon ':'. A local attacker can use this flaw to disclose process memory data. Versions from v221 to v239 are vulnerable.
Affected products
-
- Version from v221 to v239StatusaffectedConstraints-
- 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
- ≥ 221 · ≤ 239
Configuration 2
- 9.0
Configuration 3
- 16.04
- 18.04
- 18.10
Configuration 4
- n/a
- n/a
Configuration 5
- 7.6
- 7.6
- 7.0
- 7_s390x
- 7.6
- 7.0
- 7.6
- 7.0
- 7.6
- 7.0
- 7.0
- 7.4
- 7.6
- 7.4
- 7.6
- 7.4
- 7.6
- 7.4
- 7.6
- 7.0
No data.
Red Hat Ansible Tower 3.4 for RHEL 7
ansible-tower-34/ansible-tower-memcached:1.4.15-28
Fixed · RHBA-2020:0547
Red Hat Ansible Tower 3.4 for RHEL 7
ansible-tower-35/ansible-tower-memcached:1.4.15-28
Fixed · RHBA-2020:0547
Red Hat Ansible Tower 3.4 for RHEL 7
ansible-tower-37/ansible-tower-memcached-rhel7:1.4.15-28
Fixed · RHBA-2020:0547
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
systemd-0:219-67.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2019:2091
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Advanced Update Support
systemd-0:219-42.el7_4.20
Fixed · RHSA-2020:0593
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Telco Extended Update Support
systemd-0:219-42.el7_4.20
Fixed · RHSA-2020:0593
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Update Services for SAP Solutions
systemd-0:219-42.el7_4.20
Fixed · RHSA-2020:0593
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.5 Extended Update Support
systemd-0:219-57.el7_5.9
Fixed · RHSA-2020:1264
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6 Extended Update Support
systemd-0:219-62.el7_6.11
Fixed · RHSA-2019:3222
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
systemd
Not affected
Red Hat Virtualization 4
redhat-virtualization-host
Will not fix
Red Hat Virtualization 4
rhvm-appliance
Will not fix
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Ansible Tower 3.4 for RHEL 7 | ansible-tower-34/ansible-tower-memcached:1.4.15-28 | Fixed | RHBA-2020:0547 |
| Red Hat Ansible Tower 3.4 for RHEL 7 | ansible-tower-35/ansible-tower-memcached:1.4.15-28 | Fixed | RHBA-2020:0547 |
| Red Hat Ansible Tower 3.4 for RHEL 7 | ansible-tower-37/ansible-tower-memcached-rhel7:1.4.15-28 | Fixed | RHBA-2020:0547 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | systemd-0:219-67.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2091 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Advanced Update Support | systemd-0:219-42.el7_4.20 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:0593 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Telco Extended Update Support | systemd-0:219-42.el7_4.20 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:0593 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Update Services for SAP Solutions | systemd-0:219-42.el7_4.20 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:0593 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.5 Extended Update Support | systemd-0:219-57.el7_5.9 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1264 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6 Extended Update Support | systemd-0:219-62.el7_6.11 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:3222 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | systemd | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Virtualization 4 | redhat-virtualization-host | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Virtualization 4 | rhvm-appliance | Will not fix | 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 Moderate. For additional information, refer to the Issue Severity Classification: https://access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification/. Red Hat Virtualization Hypervisor and Management Appliance include vulnerable versions of systemd. However, since exploitation requires local access and impact is restricted to information disclosure, this flaw is rated as having a security issue of Low. Future updates may address this issue.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CVSS:3.0/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
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 3, 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 (13 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3, 2026 | 1.05% (0.01051) | 63.08th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 1.05% (0.01051) | 59.69th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.10% (0.00100) | 25.37th | 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 | 5.84% (0.05839) | 90.48th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 5.84% (0.05839) | 89.54th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 5.84% (0.05839) | 77.39th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 7.04% (0.07037) | 83.35th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 7.04% (0.07037) | 83.19th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 7.04% (0.07037) | 91.15th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 7.04% (0.07037) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (18)
- 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.securityfocus.com/bid/106527 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2091 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3222 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0593 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-16866 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1653867 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16866 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16866
- 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-2018-16866
- https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4367 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird 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.