How severe is CVE-2018-11490?

CVE-2018-11490 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-11490 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-2018-11490?

CVE-2018-11490 primarily affects Giflib Project Giflib. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-11490?

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-2018-11490 published?

CVE-2018-11490 was published on 2018-05-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-11490

CVE-2018-11490 is a high-severity vulnerability in Giflib Project Giflib with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. 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-129.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (83rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-129
Affected product: Giflib Project Giflib
Published: 2018-05-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The DGifDecompressLine function in dgif_lib.c in GIFLIB (possibly version 3.0.x), as later shipped in cgif.c in sam2p 0.49.4, has a heap-based buffer overflow because a certain "Private->RunningCode - 2" array index is not checked. This will lead to a denial of service or possibly unspecified other impact.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-11490?: The DGifDecompressLine function in dgif_lib.c in GIFLIB (possibly version 3.0.x), as later shipped in cgif.c in sam2p 0.49.4, has a heap-based buffer overflow because a certain "Private->RunningCode - 2" array index is not checked. This will lead to a denial of service or possibly unspecified other impact.
How severe is CVE-2018-11490?: CVE-2018-11490 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-11490 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-2018-11490?: CVE-2018-11490 primarily affects Giflib Project Giflib. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-11490?: 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-2018-11490 published?: CVE-2018-11490 was published on 2018-05-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (6)

cpe:2.3:a:giflib_project:giflib:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:sam2p_project:sam2p:0.49.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:19.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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Other CWE-129 (Improper Validation of Array Index) vulnerabilities

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CVE-2025-27034 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Memory corruption while selecting the PLMN from SOR failed list.
CVE-2025-3357 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): IBM Tivoli Monitoring 6.3.0.7 through 6.3.0.7 Service Pack 19 could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code…
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