CVE-2018-6198

Name: CVE-2018-6198
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2018-01-25T03:29:00.697+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

UnknownEPSS 0.40%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2018-6198 is a vulnerability of currently unknown severity. w3m through 0.5.3 does not properly handle temporary files when the ~/.w3m directory is unwritable, which allows a local attacker to craft a symlink attack to overwrite arbitrary files.. EPSS estimates a 0.40% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

w3m through 0.5.3 does not properly handle temporary files when the ~/.w3m directory is unwritable, which allows a local attacker to craft a symlink attack to overwrite arbitrary files.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

0.40%

32.0th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-59

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Tats	W3m	<= 0.5.3
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	12.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	14.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	16.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	17.10

References

http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-04/msg00028.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/102855Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugs.debian.org/888097Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/tats/w3m/commit/18dcbadf2771cdb0c18509b14e4e73505b242753Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://salsa.debian.org/debian/w3m/commit/18dcbadf2771cdb0c18509b14e4e73505b242753Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3555-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3555-2/Third Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-04/msg00028.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/102855Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugs.debian.org/888097Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/tats/w3m/commit/18dcbadf2771cdb0c18509b14e4e73505b242753Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://salsa.debian.org/debian/w3m/commit/18dcbadf2771cdb0c18509b14e4e73505b242753Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3555-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3555-2/Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jan 25, 2018
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-6198?

w3m through 0.5.3 does not properly handle temporary files when the ~/.w3m directory is unwritable, which allows a local attacker to craft a symlink attack to overwrite arbitrary files.

How severe is CVE-2018-6198?

Severity scoring for CVE-2018-6198 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 0.40% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2018-6198?

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-2018-6198?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST