# CVE-2018-5299: Memory corruption in n/a

> A stack-based buffer overflow in Pulse Secure PCS and PPS web servers allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via memory corruption.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Jan 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5hg9-5xp3-rm7g

## What is CVE-2018-5299?

CVE-2018-5299 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Pulsesecure Pulse Connect Secure, published on 16 Jan 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A stack-based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability exists in the web server in Pulse Secure Pulse Connect Secure (PCS) before 8.3R4 and Pulse Policy Secure (PPS) before 5.4R4, leading to memory corruption and possibly remote code execution.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-5299?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Pulsesecure Pulse Connect Secure, Pulsesecure Pulse Policy Secure.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-5299?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-5299 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-5299 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-5299 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Pulsesecure Pulse Connect Secure

- [CVE-2020-11580](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11580/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2020-11582](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11582/): Other in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-11193](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11193/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-11196](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-11196/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-11581](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11581/): Command injection in n/a (high 8.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-5299 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-5299 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Pulsesecure Pulse Connect Secure, published on 16 Jan 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-2018-5299 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Pulsesecure Pulse Connect Secure. 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-2018-5299/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5299/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-5299
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-5299
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-5299

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5299/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.