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CVE-2018-20452

8.8 · HIGH

The read_MSAT_body function in ole.c in libxls 1.4.0 has an invalid free that allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a craft…

Published Dec 25, 2018CWE-119EPSS 1.50%

Overview

CVE-2018-20452 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on December 25, 2018 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.8 (HIGH).

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.8, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

Technical description

The read_MSAT_body function in ole.c in libxls 1.4.0 has an invalid free that allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted file, because of inconsistent memory management (new versus free) in ole2_read_header in ole.c.

Remediation

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. 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.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-20452?

CVE-2018-20452 is a high-severity vulnerability. It was published on December 25, 2018 and has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.8 (HIGH).

How severe is CVE-2018-20452?

This vulnerability has a CVSS 3.0 base score of 8.8, rated HIGH. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.

How do I fix or remediate CVE-2018-20452?

Check the references section for vendor advisories, patches, and mitigation guidance. 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-2018-20452?

CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2018-20452 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.

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