# CVE-2018-16885: Memory corruption in kernel

> A local attacker can trigger a system halt by exploiting a memory access fault in the Linux kernel's iovec handling functions.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.7 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 3 Jan 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-16885, GHSA-cvhh-gmhx-mhv4

## What is CVE-2018-16885?

CVE-2018-16885 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 3 Jan 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel that allows the userspace to call memcpy_fromiovecend() and similar functions with a zero offset and buffer length which causes the read beyond the buffer boundaries, in certain cases causing a memory access fault and a system halt by accessing invalid memory address. This issue only affects kernel version 3.10.x as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-16885?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Linux kernel, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-16885?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2018-16885 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-16885 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-16885 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-16885 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 3 Jan 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-16885 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2018-16885/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16885/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-16885
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-16885
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-16885

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-16885/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.