How severe is CVE-2018-16860?

CVE-2018-16860 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-16860 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-2018-16860?

CVE-2018-16860 primarily affects Samba. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-16860?

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-2018-16860 published?

CVE-2018-16860 was published on 2019-07-31 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-16860

CVE-2018-16860 is a high-severity vulnerability in Samba with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. 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-358.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 6.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (83rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-358
Affected product: Samba
Published: 2019-07-31
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A flaw was found in samba's Heimdal KDC implementation, versions 4.8.x up to, excluding 4.8.12, 4.9.x up to, excluding 4.9.8 and 4.10.x up to, excluding 4.10.3, when used in AD DC mode. A man in the middle attacker could use this flaw to intercept the request to the KDC and replace the user name (principal) in the request with any desired user name (principal) that exists in the KDC effectively obtaining a ticket for that principal.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-16860?: A flaw was found in samba's Heimdal KDC implementation, versions 4.8.x up to, excluding 4.8.12, 4.9.x up to, excluding 4.9.8 and 4.10.x up to, excluding 4.10.3, when used in AD DC mode. A man in the middle attacker could use this flaw to intercept the request to the KDC and replace the user name (principal) in the request with any desired user name (principal) that exists in the KDC effectively obtaining a ticket for that principal.
How severe is CVE-2018-16860?: CVE-2018-16860 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-16860 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-2018-16860?: CVE-2018-16860 primarily affects Samba. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-16860?: 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-2018-16860 published?: CVE-2018-16860 was published on 2019-07-31 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:samba:samba:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:heimdal_project:heimdal:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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