# CVE-2018-25220: Bochs 2.6-5 Buffer Overflow Remote Code Execution

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code via a stack-based buffer overflow in Bochs by supplying oversized input strings.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 28 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 30 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fx87-p9wh-85gp, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-25220

## What is CVE-2018-25220?

CVE-2018-25220 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in BOCHS, published on 28 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Bochs 2.6-5 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an oversized input string to the application. Attackers can craft a malicious payload with 1200 bytes of padding followed by a return-oriented programming chain to overwrite the instruction pointer and execute shell commands with application privileges.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-25220?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Bochs Project Bochs.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-25220?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-25220 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-25220 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-25220 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in BOCHS

- [CVE-2007-2893](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-2893/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2004-2372](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2372/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2007-2894](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-2894/): Denial of service in n/a (low 2.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-25220 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-25220 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in BOCHS, published on 28 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2018-25220 exists.

Affected product: BOCHS. 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-2018-25220/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-25220/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-25220
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-25220
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-25220

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-25220/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.