How severe is CVE-2018-20021?

CVE-2018-20021 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-20021 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (88th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-20021?

CVE-2018-20021 primarily affects Libvnc Project Libvncserver. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-20021?

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-2018-20021 published?

CVE-2018-20021 was published on 2018-12-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-20021

CVE-2018-20021 is a high-severity vulnerability in Libvnc Project Libvncserver 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-835.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 7.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (88th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-835
Affected product: Libvnc Project Libvncserver
Published: 2018-12-19
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

LibVNC before commit c3115350eb8bb635d0fdb4dbbb0d0541f38ed19c contains a CWE-835: Infinite loop vulnerability in VNC client code. Vulnerability allows attacker to consume excessive amount of resources like CPU and RAM

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-20021?: LibVNC before commit c3115350eb8bb635d0fdb4dbbb0d0541f38ed19c contains a CWE-835: Infinite loop vulnerability in VNC client code. Vulnerability allows attacker to consume excessive amount of resources like CPU and RAM
How severe is CVE-2018-20021?: CVE-2018-20021 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-20021 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (88th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-20021?: CVE-2018-20021 primarily affects Libvnc Project Libvncserver. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-20021?: 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-2018-20021 published?: CVE-2018-20021 was published on 2018-12-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (7)

cpe:2.3:a:libvnc_project:libvncserver:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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