How severe is CVE-2018-0502?

CVE-2018-0502 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-0502 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (83rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-0502?

CVE-2018-0502 primarily affects Zsh. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-0502?

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

When was CVE-2018-0502 published?

CVE-2018-0502 was published on 2018-09-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-0502

CVE-2018-0502 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Zsh with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. 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: Critical (CVSS 3.x base score 9.8)
CVSS v2: 7.5
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (83rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Zsh
Published: 2018-09-05
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in zsh before 5.6. The beginning of a #! script file was mishandled, potentially leading to an execve call to a program named on the second line.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-0502?: An issue was discovered in zsh before 5.6. The beginning of a #! script file was mishandled, potentially leading to an execve call to a program named on the second line.
How severe is CVE-2018-0502?: CVE-2018-0502 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-0502 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (83rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-0502?: CVE-2018-0502 primarily affects Zsh. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-0502?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2018-0502 published?: CVE-2018-0502 was published on 2018-09-05 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:zsh:zsh:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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