CVE-2018-16888
4.7 · MEDIUMOverview
CVE-2018-16888 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting systemd_project systemd. It was published on January 14, 2019 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.7 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.7, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
Technical Description
It was discovered systemd does not correctly check the content of PIDFile files before using it to kill processes. When a service is run from an unprivileged user (e.g. User field set in the service file), a local attacker who is able to write to the PIDFile of the mentioned service may use this flaw to trick systemd into killing other services and/or privileged processes. Versions before v237 are vulnerable.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from systemd_project. Update systemd to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected Products
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| systemd_project | systemd | >= 0, < 237 | Affected |
References
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2018-16888?
CVE-2018-16888 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting systemd_project systemd. It was published on January 14, 2019 and has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.7 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2018-16888?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.7, rated MEDIUM. It requires local or adjacent network access to exploit. Some level of privileges is required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2018-16888?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from systemd_project. Update systemd to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2018-16888?
CyberStrike's AI-powered security agents can automatically detect CVE-2018-16888 across your infrastructure using autonomous pentesting, DAST scanning, and HackBrowser. The platform continuously monitors for known vulnerabilities and provides actionable remediation guidance prioritized by real-world exploitability.
How CyberStrike Helps
AI agents map your attack surface to find vulnerabilities like this one.
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