CVE-2018-15687

Name: CVE-2018-15687
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2018-10-26T14:29:00.757+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7/10EPSS 1.06%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2018-15687 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7/10 on the CVSS scale. A race condition in chown_one() of systemd allows an attacker to cause systemd to set arbitrary permissions on arbitrary files. Affected releases are systemd versions up to and including 239.. EPSS estimates a 1.06% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

A race condition in chown_one() of systemd allows an attacker to cause systemd to set arbitrary permissions on arbitrary files. Affected releases are systemd versions up to and including 239.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

1.06%

60.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	16.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	18.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	18.10
Systemd Project	Systemd	>= 235, < 240

References

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105748Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/10517/commitsPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201810-10Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3816-1/Third Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45715/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105748Broken Link, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://github.com/systemd/systemd/pull/10517/commitsPatch, Third Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201810-10Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3816-1/Third Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45715/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry

Timeline

Published: Oct 26, 2018
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-15687?

A race condition in chown_one() of systemd allows an attacker to cause systemd to set arbitrary permissions on arbitrary files. Affected releases are systemd versions up to and including 239.

How severe is CVE-2018-15687?

CVE-2018-15687 has a CVSS score of 7/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.06% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2018-15687?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2018-15687?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST