How severe is CVE-2018-20483?

CVE-2018-20483 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-20483 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (47th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-20483?

CVE-2018-20483 affects Gnu Wget. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-20483?

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-2018-20483 published?

CVE-2018-20483 was published on 2018-12-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-20483

CVE-2018-20483 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnu Wget 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-200.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (47th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-200
Affected product: Gnu Wget
Published: 2018-12-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

set_file_metadata in xattr.c in GNU Wget before 1.20.1 stores a file's origin URL in the user.xdg.origin.url metadata attribute of the extended attributes of the downloaded file, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information (e.g., credentials contained in the URL) by reading this attribute, as demonstrated by getfattr. This also applies to Referer information in the user.xdg.referrer.url metadata attribute. According to 2016-07-22 in the Wget ChangeLog, user.xdg.origin.url was partially based on the behavior of fwrite_xattr in tool_xattr.c in curl.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-20483?: set_file_metadata in xattr.c in GNU Wget before 1.20.1 stores a file's origin URL in the user.xdg.origin.url metadata attribute of the extended attributes of the downloaded file, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information (e.g., credentials contained in the URL) by reading this attribute, as demonstrated by getfattr. This also applies to Referer information in the user.xdg.referrer.url metadata attribute. According to 2016-07-22 in the Wget ChangeLog, user.xdg.origin.url was partially based on the behavior of fwrite_xattr in tool_xattr.c in curl.
How severe is CVE-2018-20483?: CVE-2018-20483 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-20483 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (47th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-20483?: CVE-2018-20483 affects Gnu Wget. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-20483?: 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-2018-20483 published?: CVE-2018-20483 was published on 2018-12-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:wget:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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