CVE-2018-16871 — kernel: nfs: NULL pointer dereference due to an anomalized NFS message sequence

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HIGH

kernel: nfs: NULL pointer dereference due to an anomalized NFS message sequence

Published Jul 30, 2019

7.5

HIGH

CVSS 3.1

EPSS 2.70%

Description

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's NFS implementation, all versions 3.x and all versions 4.x up to 4.20. An attacker, who is able to mount an exported NFS filesystem, is able to trigger a null pointer dereference by using an invalid NFS sequence. This can panic the machine and deny access to the NFS server. Any outstanding disk writes to the NFS server will be lost.

Affected products

Vendor Red Hat Product Kernel: Default
n/a
- Version
  all 3.x, all 4.x up to 4.20
  Status
  affected
  Constraints
  -

Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).

Vendor

Product

Default status

Versions

Red Hat

Kernel:

n/a

Version	Status	Constraints
all 3.x, all 4.x up to 4.20	affected	-

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

kernel-0:3.10.0-957.27.2.el7

Fixed · RHSA-2019:1873
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

kernel-alt-0:4.14.0-115.18.1.el7a

Fixed · RHSA-2020:0740
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-957.27.2.rt56.940.el7

Fixed · RHSA-2019:1891
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Extended Update Support

kernel-0:3.10.0-693.58.1.el7

Fixed · RHSA-2019:2696
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

kernel-0:4.18.0-193.el8

Fixed · RHSA-2020:1769
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8

kernel-rt-0:4.18.0-193.rt13.51.el8

Fixed · RHSA-2020:1567
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2

kernel-rt-1:3.10.0-693.58.1.rt56.652.el6rt

Fixed · RHSA-2019:2730
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5

kernel

Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

kernel

Not affected

Product	Package	State	Advisory
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7	kernel-0:3.10.0-957.27.2.el7	Fixed	RHSA-2019:1873
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7	kernel-alt-0:4.14.0-115.18.1.el7a	Fixed	RHSA-2020:0740
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7	kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-957.27.2.rt56.940.el7	Fixed	RHSA-2019:1891
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.4 Extended Update Support	kernel-0:3.10.0-693.58.1.el7	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2696
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8	kernel-0:4.18.0-193.el8	Fixed	RHSA-2020:1769
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8	kernel-rt-0:4.18.0-193.rt13.51.el8	Fixed	RHSA-2020:1567
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2	kernel-rt-1:3.10.0-693.58.1.rt56.652.el6rt	Fixed	RHSA-2019:2730
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5	kernel	Not affected	n/a
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6	kernel	Not affected	n/a

Remediation

No remediation recorded yet.

Metrics

2.70% 0.02704

Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.

EPSS probability 0.02704

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 (19 key points)

Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.

Date	Score	Percentile	Model
Oct 1, 2026	2.70% (0.02704)	85.43th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Jun 15, 2026	2.78% (0.02779)	84.45th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Sep 7, 2025	1.52% (0.01525)	80.59th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
Mar 17, 2025	0.20% (0.00203)	40.51th	v4 (v2025.03.14)
Jul 20, 2024	0.78% (0.00778)	81.56th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Feb 8, 2024	0.78% (0.00778)	80.78th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Mar 7, 2023	0.78% (0.00778)	78.59th	v3 (v2023.03.01)
Mar 6, 2023	1.11% (0.01108)	55.18th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Feb 13, 2023	1.11% (0.01108)	54.62th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Feb 3, 2023	2.69% (0.02686)	82.44th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Sep 17, 2022	1.11% (0.01108)	53.57th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Apr 1, 2022	1.11% (0.01108)	51.54th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Feb 4, 2022	1.11% (0.01108)	29.61th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Feb 3, 2022	1.66% (0.01659)	34.20th	v1
Jan 6, 2022	1.66% (0.01659)	33.50th	v1
Oct 11, 2021	1.66% (0.01659)	74.32th	v1
Oct 5, 2021	7.04% (0.07038)	91.11th	v1
Sep 1, 2021	1.45% (0.01454)	71.88th	v1
Apr 14, 2021	1.45% (0.01454)	0.00th	v1

Weaknesses (1)

CWE-476

NULL Pointer Dereference

References (11)

https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2696
vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2730
vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0740
vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-16871
Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1655162
Issue Tracking
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16871
x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16871
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211004-0002/
x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K18657134
x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K18657134?utm_source=f5support&amp%3Butm_medium=RSS
x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16871

Link	Providers	Tags
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2696		vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2730		vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0740		vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2018-16871		Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1655162		Issue Tracking
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16871		x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16871
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20211004-0002/		x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K18657134		x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K18657134?utm_source=f5support&amp%3Butm_medium=RSS		x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16871