How severe is CVE-2018-20452?

CVE-2018-20452 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-20452 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (71st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-20452?

CVE-2018-20452 affects Libxls Project Libxls. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-20452?

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-2018-20452 published?

CVE-2018-20452 was published on 2018-12-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-20452

CVE-2018-20452 is a high-severity vulnerability in Libxls Project Libxls with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. 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 8.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (71st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-119
Affected product: Libxls Project Libxls
Published: 2018-12-25
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The read_MSAT_body function in ole.c in libxls 1.4.0 has an invalid free that allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted file, because of inconsistent memory management (new versus free) in ole2_read_header in ole.c.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-20452?: The read_MSAT_body function in ole.c in libxls 1.4.0 has an invalid free that allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted file, because of inconsistent memory management (new versus free) in ole2_read_header in ole.c.
How severe is CVE-2018-20452?: CVE-2018-20452 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-20452 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (71st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-20452?: CVE-2018-20452 affects Libxls Project Libxls. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-20452?: 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-2018-20452 published?: CVE-2018-20452 was published on 2018-12-25 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:libxls_project:libxls:1.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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