How severe is CVE-2018-19491?

CVE-2018-19491 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-2018-19491 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-2018-19491?

CVE-2018-19491 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-2018-19491?

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-2018-19491 published?

CVE-2018-19491 was published on 2018-11-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-19491

CVE-2018-19491 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-119.

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-119
Affected product: Gnuplot
Published: 2018-11-23
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in post.trm in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in the PS_options function. This flaw is caused by a missing size check of an argument passed to the "set font" function. This issue occurs when the Gnuplot postscript terminal is used as a backend.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-19491?: An issue was discovered in post.trm in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in the PS_options function. This flaw is caused by a missing size check of an argument passed to the "set font" function. This issue occurs when the Gnuplot postscript terminal is used as a backend.
How severe is CVE-2018-19491?: CVE-2018-19491 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-2018-19491 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-2018-19491?: CVE-2018-19491 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-2018-19491?: 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-2018-19491 published?: CVE-2018-19491 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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