# CVE-2018-11236: Integer overflow in n/a

> An integer overflow in glibc's realpath function on 32-bit systems can lead to a stack-based buffer overflow, potentially allowing arbitrary code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 May 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-11236, GHSA-pgv4-4294-ccrq, SUSE-SU-2018:2302-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-11236

## What is CVE-2018-11236?

CVE-2018-11236 is a critical vulnerability in Gnu Glibc, published on 18 May 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

stdlib/canonicalize.c in the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) 2.27 and earlier, when processing very long pathname arguments to the realpath function, could encounter an integer overflow on 32-bit architectures, leading to a stack-based buffer overflow and, potentially, arbitrary code execution.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-11236?

It affects 9 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | All versions | 2.11.3-17.110.14.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3-LTSS | All versions | 2.11.3-17.110.14.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3-TERADATA | All versions | 2.11.3-17.110.14.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 2.11.3-17.110.14.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 2.11.3-17.110.14.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4 | All versions | 2.11.3-17.110.14.1 |

Products: Gnu Glibc, Netapp Data Ontap Edge, Netapp Element Software Management, Oracle Communications Session Border Controller, Oracle Enterprise Communications Broker, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation, Redhat Virtualization Host.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-11236?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2018-11236 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-11236 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Gnu Glibc

- [CVE-2026-5450](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5450/): scanf %mc off-by-one heap buffer overflow (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2023-25139](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25139/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-1999-0199](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-1999-0199/): Other in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-1010022](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1010022/): Security feature bypass in glibc (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2005-3590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-3590/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-11236 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-11236 is a critical vulnerability in Gnu Glibc, published on 18 May 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-11236 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Gnu Glibc. 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-2018-11236/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11236/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-11236
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-11236
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-11236

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-11236/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.