# CVE-2018-1000156: Code injection in n/a

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code by crafting a malicious patch file processed by the GNU Patch utility, requiring users to update the tool.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Apr 2018
- **Updated:** 14 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2018-1000156, AZL-35101, AZL-6785, CLEANSTART-2026-ZQ70340, DEBIAN-CVE-2018-1000156, DLA-1348-1, GHSA-r9rq-mhxg-686q, JLSEC-2026-12, RHSA-2018:1199, RHSA-2018:1200, RHSA-2018:2091, RHSA-2018:2092, RHSA-2018:2093, RHSA-2018:2094, RHSA-2018:2095, RHSA-2018:2096, RHSA-2018:2097, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-1000156, openSUSE-SU-2024:11372-1

## What is CVE-2018-1000156?

CVE-2018-1000156 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 6 Apr 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

GNU Patch version 2.7.6 contains an input validation vulnerability when processing patch files, specifically the EDITOR_PROGRAM invocation (using ed) can result in code execution. This attack appear to be exploitable via a patch file processed via the patch utility. This is similar to FreeBSD's CVE-2015-1418 however although they share a common ancestry the code bases have diverged over time.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-1000156?

It affects 9 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `patch` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_9 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_9 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_9 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::computenode | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_9 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_9 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_9 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_9 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::workstation | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_9 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_5 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_5 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_5 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_5 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_5 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_5 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_5 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_5 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:6.4::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_4 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:6.4::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_4 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:6.5::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_5 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:6.5::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_5 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:6.6::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_6 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:6.6::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_6 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:7.2::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_2 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_aus:7.2::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_2 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:7.2::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_2 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:7.2::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_2 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:6.7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_7 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:6.7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_7 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:6.7::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_7 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:6.7::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_7 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.3::computenode | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_3 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.3::computenode | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_3 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.3::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_3 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.3::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_3 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::computenode | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_4 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::computenode | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_4 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_4 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:7.4::server | All versions | 0:2.7.1-10.el7_4 |
| `patch` | Red Hat:rhel_tus:6.6::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_6 |
| `patch-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_tus:6.6::server | All versions | 0:2.6-8.el6_6 |

Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Gnu Patch, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Tus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-1000156?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-1000156 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-1000156 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-1000156 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-1000156 is a high-severity code injection vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 6 Apr 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-1000156 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1000156/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1000156/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-1000156
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-1000156
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-1000156

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1000156/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.