# CVE-2018-15173: Denial of service in n/a

> Remote attackers can crash Nmap via a crafted TCP service when the version detection option is enabled.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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:** 8 Aug 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2018-15173, DEBIAN-CVE-2018-15173, ECHO-96dd-e453-1bca, GHSA-wp69-235q-254j, MGASA-2019-0294, SUSE-SU-2019:1286-1, SUSE-SU-2019:1290-1, SUSE-SU-2019:1290-2, SUSE-SU-2019:2426-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-15173, openSUSE-SU-2019:1462-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:11094-1

## What is CVE-2018-15173?

CVE-2018-15173 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in n/a, published on 8 Aug 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Nmap through 7.70, when the -sV option is used, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (stack consumption and application crash) via a crafted TCP-based service.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-15173?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `nmap` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 | All versions | 7.70-3.5.1 |
| `nmap` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 | All versions | 7.70-3.5.1 |
| `nmap` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 | All versions | 7.70-3.5.1 |
| `nmap` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3 | All versions | 6.46-3.3.1 |
| `nmap` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4 | All versions | 6.46-3.3.1 |
| `nmap` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4 | All versions | 6.46-3.6.1 |
| `nmap` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 6.46-3.3.1 |
| `nmap` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4 | All versions | 6.46-3.3.1 |
| `nmap` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4 | All versions | 6.46-3.6.1 |
| `nmap` | openSUSE:Leap 15.0 | All versions | 7.70-lp151.3.3.1 |
| `nmap` | openSUSE:Leap 15.1 | All versions | 7.70-lp151.3.3.1 |
| `nmap` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 7.92-2.1 |

Products: Nmap Nmap.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-15173?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-15173 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-15173 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-18594](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18594/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2026-58058](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-58058/): Nmap - Integer Underflow in IPv6 Extension Header Parsing (medium 6.9)
- [CVE-2013-4885](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4885/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2018-1000161](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1000161/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 5.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-15173 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-15173 is a high-severity denial of service vulnerability in n/a, published on 8 Aug 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-2018-15173 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2018-15173/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15173/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-15173
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-15173
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-15173

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15173/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.