CVE-2018-5731: An issue was discovered in Heimdal PRO 2.2.190. As part of the scanning feature, a process called md.hs writes an executable called CS1.tmp to C:\wind...

Description

An issue was discovered in Heimdal PRO 2.2.190. As part of the scanning feature, a process called md.hs writes an executable called CS1.tmp to C:\windows\TEMP. Afterwards the executable is run. It is possible for an attacker to create the file first, let md.hs overwrite it, and then rewrite the file in the window between md.hs closing the file and executing it. This can be exploited via opportunistic locks and a high priority thread. The vulnerability is triggered when a scan starts. NOTE: any affected Heimdal products are completely unrelated to the Heimdal vendor of a Kerberos 5 product on the h5l.org web site.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

0.42%

33.7th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-20

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Heimdalsecurity	Heimdal	2.2.190

References

https://improsec.com/blog/heimdal-advisory-2Exploit, Third Party Advisory
https://improsec.com/blog/heimdal-advisory-2Exploit, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Mar 22, 2018
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-5731?

An issue was discovered in Heimdal PRO 2.2.190. As part of the scanning feature, a process called md.hs writes an executable called CS1.tmp to C:\windows\TEMP. Afterwards the executable is run. It is possible for an attacker to create the file first, let md.hs overwrite it, and then rewrite the file in the window between md.hs closing the file and executing it. This can be exploited via opportunistic locks and a high priority thread. The vulnerability is triggered when a scan starts. NOTE: any affected Heimdal products are completely unrelated to the Heimdal vendor of a Kerberos 5 product on the h5l.org web site.

How severe is CVE-2018-5731?

Severity scoring for CVE-2018-5731 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 0.42% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2018-5731?

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.

How Strix Helps

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