How severe is CVE-2018-16132?

CVE-2018-16132 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-16132 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (61st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-16132?

CVE-2018-16132 affects Signal. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-16132?

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-2018-16132 published?

CVE-2018-16132 was published on 2018-08-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-16132

CVE-2018-16132 is a high-severity vulnerability in Signal with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6. 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-400.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.6)
CVSS v2: 7.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (61st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-400
Affected product: Signal
Published: 2018-08-29
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The image rendering component (createGenericPreview) of the Open Whisper Signal app through 2.29.0 for iOS fails to check for unreasonably large images before manipulating received images. This allows for a large image sent to a user to exhaust all available memory when the image is displayed, resulting in a forced restart of the device.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-16132?: The image rendering component (createGenericPreview) of the Open Whisper Signal app through 2.29.0 for iOS fails to check for unreasonably large images before manipulating received images. This allows for a large image sent to a user to exhaust all available memory when the image is displayed, resulting in a forced restart of the device.
How severe is CVE-2018-16132?: CVE-2018-16132 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.6, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-16132 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (61st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-16132?: CVE-2018-16132 affects Signal. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-16132?: 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-2018-16132 published?: CVE-2018-16132 was published on 2018-08-29 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

http://seclists.org/bugtraq/2018/Aug/57

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:signal:signal:*:*:*:*:*:iphone_os:*:*

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