How severe is CVE-2018-16648?

CVE-2018-16648 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-16648 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (71st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-16648?

CVE-2018-16648 affects Artifex Mupdf. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-16648?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2018-16648 published?

CVE-2018-16648 was published on 2018-09-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-16648

CVE-2018-16648 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Artifex Mupdf with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. 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: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (71st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-129
Affected product: Artifex Mupdf
Published: 2018-09-06
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In Artifex MuPDF 1.13.0, the fz_append_byte function in fitz/buffer.c allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) via a crafted pdf file. This is caused by a pdf/pdf-device.c pdf_dev_alpha array-index underflow.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-16648?: In Artifex MuPDF 1.13.0, the fz_append_byte function in fitz/buffer.c allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) via a crafted pdf file. This is caused by a pdf/pdf-device.c pdf_dev_alpha array-index underflow.
How severe is CVE-2018-16648?: CVE-2018-16648 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-16648 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (71st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-16648?: CVE-2018-16648 affects Artifex Mupdf. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-16648?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2018-16648 published?: CVE-2018-16648 was published on 2018-09-06 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:artifex:mupdf:1.13.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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