systemd: chown_one() can dereference symlinks
Priority LOW 35CWE-362Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
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.
Why it matters now
Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.01058 64th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by the CNA and NVD
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| systemd | systemd | up to 239 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- systemd Vendorsystemd Affected up to 239 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 4
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 16.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 18.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 18.10 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:a:systemd_project:systemd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 235 to before 240 | Vulnerable | systemd |
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 16.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 18.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 18.10 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:a:systemd_project:systemd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 235 to before 240 Vulnerable ·systemd
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Fixed in the same release
Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.
- Advisory ·
systemd — GLSA-201810-10
3 records Highest priority Priority MEDIUM 2 MEDIUM, 1 LOW
Other records, highest priority first
- TI-2018-11178 Out-of-Bounds write in systemd-networkd dhcpv6 option handlingPriority MEDIUM 43
- TI-2018-11176 systemd: reexec state injection: fgets() on overlong lines leads to line splittingPriority MEDIUM 40
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Virtualization 4
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2018-15687
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wxcv-623q-99fj
References
Exploit 1
Advisory 2
More Systemd vulnerabilities
- TI-2023-11736 systemd before 247 does not adequately block local privilege escalation for some Sudo… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2017-06857 In systemd through 233, certain sizes passed to dns_packet_new in systemd-resolved can… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2026-29031 In nspawn in systemd 233 through 259 before 260, an escape-to-host action can occur via a crafted optional config file. CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 6.4
- TI-2022-04038 Information disclosure in systemd CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.5
- TI-2025-04111 Systemd-coredump: race condition that allows a local attacker to crash a suid program and… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 4.7
- TI-2017-11647 In systemd 223 through 235, a remote DNS server can respond with a custom crafted DNS… CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
- CVE-2018-15687 · CVE Program
- CVE-2018-15687 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wxcv-623q-99fj · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2018-15687 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences