How severe is CVE-2018-20431?

CVE-2018-20431 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-20431 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (81st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-20431?

CVE-2018-20431 primarily affects Gnu Libextractor. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-20431?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2018-20431 published?

CVE-2018-20431 was published on 2018-12-24 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-20431

CVE-2018-20431 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Gnu Libextractor with a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5. 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-476.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 6.5)
CVSS v2: 4.3
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (81st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-476
Affected product: Gnu Libextractor
Published: 2018-12-24
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

GNU Libextractor through 1.8 has a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability in the function process_metadata() in plugins/ole2_extractor.c.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-20431?: GNU Libextractor through 1.8 has a NULL Pointer Dereference vulnerability in the function process_metadata() in plugins/ole2_extractor.c.
How severe is CVE-2018-20431?: CVE-2018-20431 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 6.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-20431 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (81st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-20431?: CVE-2018-20431 primarily affects Gnu Libextractor. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-20431?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2018-20431 published?: CVE-2018-20431 was published on 2018-12-24 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:libextractor:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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