CVE-2018-16880

Name: CVE-2018-16880
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2019-01-29T16:29:00.387+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7/10EPSS 0.56%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2018-16880 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7/10 on the CVSS scale. A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's handle_rx() function in the [vhost_net] driver. A malicious virtual guest, under specific conditions, can trigger an out-of-bounds write in a kmalloc-8 slab on a virtual host which may lead to a kernel memory corruption and a system panic. EPSS estimates a 0.56% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's handle_rx() function in the [vhost_net] driver. A malicious virtual guest, under specific conditions, can trigger an out-of-bounds write in a kmalloc-8 slab on a virtual host which may lead to a kernel memory corruption and a system panic. Due to the nature of the flaw, privilege escalation cannot be fully ruled out. Versions from v4.16 and newer are vulnerable.

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

0.56%

42.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 4.16, < 4.19.20
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 4.20, < 4.20.7
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	18.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	18.10

References

http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-05/msg00037.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106735Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16880Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K03593314Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3903-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3903-2/Third Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-05/msg00037.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106735Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-16880Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K03593314Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3903-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3903-2/Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jan 29, 2019
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-16880?

How severe is CVE-2018-16880?

CVE-2018-16880 has a CVSS score of 7/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.56% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2018-16880?

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-2018-16880?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST