How severe is CVE-2017-18240?

CVE-2017-18240 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-18240 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (29th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-18240?

CVE-2017-18240 primarily affects Collectd. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-18240?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2017-18240 published?

CVE-2017-18240 was published on 2018-03-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-18240

CVE-2017-18240 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Collectd with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-20.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (29th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Collectd
Published: 2018-03-19
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The Gentoo app-admin/collectd package before 5.7.2-r1 sets the ownership of PID file directory to the collectd account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this account for PID file modification before a root script sends a SIGKILL (when the service is stopped).

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-18240?: The Gentoo app-admin/collectd package before 5.7.2-r1 sets the ownership of PID file directory to the collectd account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this account for PID file modification before a root script sends a SIGKILL (when the service is stopped).
How severe is CVE-2017-18240?: CVE-2017-18240 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-18240 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (29th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-18240?: CVE-2017-18240 primarily affects Collectd. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-18240?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2017-18240 published?: CVE-2017-18240 was published on 2018-03-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:collectd:collectd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:collectd:collectd:5.7.2:r1:*:*:*:*:*:*

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