# CVE-2018-16865: Memory corruption in systemd

> A local or remote attacker can crash systemd-journald or execute code with journald privileges due to unbounded memory allocation.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Jan 2019
- **Updated:** 9 Jun 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-16865, GHSA-cwf3-gffj-25fm, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-16865

## What is CVE-2018-16865?

CVE-2018-16865 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 11 Jan 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An allocation of memory without limits, that could result in the stack clashing with another memory region, was discovered in systemd-journald when many entries are sent to the journal socket. A local attacker, or a remote one if systemd-journal-remote is used, may use this flaw to crash systemd-journald or execute code with journald privileges. Versions through v240 are vulnerable.

Weakness: CWE-770 (Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-16865?

It affects 11 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Oracle Communications Session Border Controller, Oracle Enterprise Communications Broker, 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, Systemd Project Systemd.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-16865?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2018-16865 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-16865 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-2018-16865 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-16865 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 11 Jan 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-16865 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-2018-16865/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16865/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16865
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16865
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-16865

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16865/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.