How severe is CVE-2018-15687?

CVE-2018-15687 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-15687 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (60th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-15687?

CVE-2018-15687 primarily affects Systemd Project Systemd. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-15687?

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-2018-15687 published?

CVE-2018-15687 was published on 2018-10-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-15687

CVE-2018-15687 is a high-severity vulnerability in Systemd Project Systemd with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0. 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-362.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.0)
CVSS v2: 6.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (60th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-362
Affected product: Systemd Project Systemd
Published: 2018-10-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A race condition in chown_one() of systemd allows an attacker to cause systemd to set arbitrary permissions on arbitrary files. Affected releases are systemd versions up to and including 239.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-15687?: A race condition in chown_one() of systemd allows an attacker to cause systemd to set arbitrary permissions on arbitrary files. Affected releases are systemd versions up to and including 239.
How severe is CVE-2018-15687?: CVE-2018-15687 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-15687 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (60th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-15687?: CVE-2018-15687 primarily affects Systemd Project Systemd. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-15687?: 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-2018-15687 published?: CVE-2018-15687 was published on 2018-10-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:systemd_project:systemd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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