CVE-2018-5709: An issue was discovered in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) through 1.16. There is a variable "dbentry->n_key_data" in kadmin/dbutil/dump.c that can store 16...

Description

An issue was discovered in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) through 1.16. There is a variable "dbentry->n_key_data" in kadmin/dbutil/dump.c that can store 16-bit data but unknowingly the developer has assigned a "u4" variable to it, which is for 32-bit data. An attacker can use this vulnerability to affect other artifacts of the database as we know that a Kerberos database dump file contains trusted data.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

2.11%

79.4th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-190

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Mit	Kerberos	<= 5-1.16

References

Timeline

Published: Jan 16, 2018
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-5709?

An issue was discovered in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) through 1.16. There is a variable "dbentry->n_key_data" in kadmin/dbutil/dump.c that can store 16-bit data but unknowingly the developer has assigned a "u4" variable to it, which is for 32-bit data. An attacker can use this vulnerability to affect other artifacts of the database as we know that a Kerberos database dump file contains trusted data.

How severe is CVE-2018-5709?

Severity scoring for CVE-2018-5709 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 2.11% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2018-5709?

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.