# CVE-2018-5860: Null dereference in Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android

> An uninitialized data structure in the MDSS driver can lead to a null pointer dereference, causing a denial of service on Android devices.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/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:** No
- **Published:** 15 Jun 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-g5cg-643p-2m3g

## What is CVE-2018-5860?

CVE-2018-5860 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Google Android, published on 15 Jun 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the MDSS driver in all Android releases(Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android) from CAF using the Linux kernel, a data structure may be used without being initialized correctly.

Weakness: CWE-824 (Access of Uninitialized Pointer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-5860?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Google Android.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-5860?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-5860 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-5860 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-5860 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Google Android

- [CVE-2026-58704](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-58704/): Google Pixel Improper Authorization (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-48543](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48543/): Android Runtime Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-35674](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35674/): Android Framework Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-48595](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48595/): Android Framework Integer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-32896](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-32896/): Android Pixel Privilege Escalation (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-5860 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-5860 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Google Android, published on 15 Jun 2018. 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-2018-5860 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Google Android. 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-2018-5860/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5860/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-5860
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-5860
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-5860

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-5860/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.