CVE-2018-16872

CVE-2018-16872 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Qemu with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3. 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-367.

Key facts

Description

A flaw was found in qemu Media Transfer Protocol (MTP). The code opening files in usb_mtp_get_object and usb_mtp_get_partial_object and directories in usb_mtp_object_readdir doesn't consider that the underlying filesystem may have changed since the time lstat(2) was called in usb_mtp_object_alloc, a classical TOCTTOU problem. An attacker with write access to the host filesystem shared with a guest can use this property to navigate the host filesystem in the context of the QEMU process and read any file the QEMU process has access to. Access to the filesystem may be local or via a network share protocol such as CIFS.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-16872?
A flaw was found in qemu Media Transfer Protocol (MTP). The code opening files in usb_mtp_get_object and usb_mtp_get_partial_object and directories in usb_mtp_object_readdir doesn't consider that the underlying filesystem may have changed since the time lstat(2) was called in usb_mtp_object_alloc, a classical TOCTTOU problem. An attacker with write access to the host filesystem shared with a guest can use this property to navigate the host filesystem in the context of the QEMU process and read any file the QEMU process has access to. Access to the filesystem may be local or via a network share protocol such as CIFS.
How severe is CVE-2018-16872?
CVE-2018-16872 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.3, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2018-16872 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-2018-16872?
CVE-2018-16872 primarily affects Qemu. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-16872?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2018-16872 published?
CVE-2018-16872 was published on 2018-12-13 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (10)

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