# CVE-2018-17182: Use after free in n/a

> An attacker can trigger a use-after-free in the Linux kernel vmacache to potentially gain privileges or execute code via specific memory operations.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Sep 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-17182, GHSA-v788-jmxr-wgj9, SUSE-SU-2018:3032-1, SUSE-SU-2018:3032-2, SUSE-SU-2018:3100-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-17182

## What is CVE-2018-17182?

CVE-2018-17182 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 19 Sep 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel through 4.18.8. The vmacache_flush_all function in mm/vmacache.c mishandles sequence number overflows. An attacker can trigger a use-after-free (and possibly gain privileges) via certain thread creation, map, unmap, invalidation, and dereference operations.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-17182?

It affects 5 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `kernel-ec2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Public Cloud 12 | All versions | 3.12.74-60.64.107.1 |
| `kernel-bigmem` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-default` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-ec2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-pae` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-ppc64` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-source` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-syms` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-trace` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-xen` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-default` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 3.12.74-60.64.107.1 |
| `kernel-source` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 3.12.74-60.64.107.1 |
| `kernel-syms` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 3.12.74-60.64.107.1 |
| `kernel-xen` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 3.12.74-60.64.107.1 |
| `kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP1_Update_32` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 1-2.3.1 |
| `kernel-bigmem` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-default` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-ec2` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-pae` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-ppc64` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-source` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-syms` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-trace` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-xen` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |
| `kernel-default` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1 | All versions | 3.12.74-60.64.107.1 |
| `kernel-source` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1 | All versions | 3.12.74-60.64.107.1 |
| `kernel-syms` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1 | All versions | 3.12.74-60.64.107.1 |
| `kernel-xen` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1 | All versions | 3.12.74-60.64.107.1 |
| `kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP1_Update_32` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1 | All versions | 1-2.3.1 |
| `kernel-docs` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4 | All versions | 3.0.101-108.77.1 |

Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Linux kernel, Netapp Active Iq Performance Analytics Services, Netapp Element Software.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-17182?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2018-17182 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-17182 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Linux 内核VMA-UAF 提权漏洞（CVE-2018-17182）,0day (github_poc): https://github.com/jas502n/CVE-2018-17182
- https://github.com/likekabin/vmacache_CVE-2018-17182 (github_poc): https://github.com/likekabin/vmacache_CVE-2018-17182
- Linux Kernel - VMA Use-After-Free via Buggy vmacache_flush_all() Fastpath Local Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)
- Linux Kernel - VMA Use-After-Free via Buggy vmacache_flush_all() Fastpath Local Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)
- https://github.com/likekabin/CVE-2018-17182 (github_poc): https://github.com/likekabin/CVE-2018-17182
- https://github.com/jedai47/cve-2018-17182 (github_poc): https://github.com/jedai47/cve-2018-17182

## 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-2018-17182 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-17182 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 19 Sep 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-17182 exists.

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-2018-17182/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17182/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-17182
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-17182
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-17182

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17182/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.