How severe is CVE-2018-19490?

CVE-2018-19490 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-19490 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (72nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-19490?

CVE-2018-19490 primarily affects Gnuplot. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-19490?

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-2018-19490 published?

CVE-2018-19490 was published on 2018-11-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-19490

CVE-2018-19490 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnuplot with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-787.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (72nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-787
Affected product: Gnuplot
Published: 2018-11-23
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-19490?: An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.
How severe is CVE-2018-19490?: CVE-2018-19490 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-19490 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (72nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-19490?: CVE-2018-19490 primarily affects Gnuplot. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-19490?: 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-2018-19490 published?: CVE-2018-19490 was published on 2018-11-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:gnuplot:gnuplot:5.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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