How severe is CVE-2018-0165?

CVE-2018-0165 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-0165 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-0165?

CVE-2018-0165 primarily affects Cisco Ios Xe. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-0165?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2018-0165 published?

CVE-2018-0165 was published on 2018-03-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-0165

CVE-2018-0165 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cisco Ios Xe with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4. 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-772.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.4)
CVSS v2: 6.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (50th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-772
Affected product: Cisco Ios Xe
Published: 2018-03-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A vulnerability in the Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) packet-processing functionality of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to exhaust buffers on an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition, aka a Memory Leak. The vulnerability is due to the affected software insufficiently processing IGMP Membership Query packets that are sent to an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a large number of IGMP Membership Query packets, which contain certain values, to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to exhaust buffers on the affected device, resulting in a DoS condition that requires the device to be reloaded manually. This vulnerability affects: Cisco Catalyst 4500 Switches with Supervisor Engine 8-E, if they are running Cisco IOS XE Software Release 3.x.x.E and IP multicast routing is configured; Cisco devices that are running Cisco IOS XE Software Release 16.x, if IP multicast routing is configured. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCuw09295, CSCve94496.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-0165?: A vulnerability in the Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) packet-processing functionality of Cisco IOS XE Software could allow an unauthenticated, adjacent attacker to exhaust buffers on an affected device, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition, aka a Memory Leak. The vulnerability is due to the affected software insufficiently processing IGMP Membership Query packets that are sent to an affected device. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a large number of IGMP Membership Query packets, which contain certain values, to an affected device. A successful exploit could allow the attacker to exhaust buffers on the affected device, resulting in a DoS condition that requires the device to be reloaded manually. This vulnerability affects: Cisco Catalyst 4500 Switches with Supervisor Engine 8-E, if they are running Cisco IOS XE Software Release 3.x.x.E and IP multicast routing is configured; Cisco devices that are running Cisco IOS XE Software Release 16.x, if IP multicast routing is configured. Cisco Bug IDs: CSCuw09295, CSCve94496.
How severe is CVE-2018-0165?: CVE-2018-0165 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.4, rated high severity. It is exploitable over an adjacent network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-0165 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (50th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-0165?: CVE-2018-0165 primarily affects Cisco Ios Xe. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-0165?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2018-0165 published?: CVE-2018-0165 was published on 2018-03-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:15.2\(3\)e:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:cisco:ios_xe:denali-16.3.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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