How severe is CVE-2018-20796?

CVE-2018-20796 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-2018-20796 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 6% (92nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-20796?

CVE-2018-20796 primarily affects Gnu Glibc. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-20796?

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-2018-20796 published?

CVE-2018-20796 was published on 2019-02-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-20796

CVE-2018-20796 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnu Glibc 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-674.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
CVSS v2: 5.0
EPSS exploit prediction: 6% (92nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-674
Affected product: Gnu Glibc
Published: 2019-02-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) through 2.29, check_dst_limits_calc_pos_1 in posix/regexec.c has Uncontrolled Recursion, as demonstrated by '(\227|)(\\1\\1|t1|\\\2537)+' in grep.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-20796?: In the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) through 2.29, check_dst_limits_calc_pos_1 in posix/regexec.c has Uncontrolled Recursion, as demonstrated by '(\227|)(\\1\\1|t1|\\\2537)+' in grep.
How severe is CVE-2018-20796?: CVE-2018-20796 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-2018-20796 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 6% (92nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-20796?: CVE-2018-20796 primarily affects Gnu Glibc. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-20796?: 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-2018-20796 published?: CVE-2018-20796 was published on 2019-02-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:glibc:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netapp:cloud_backup:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netapp:ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:netapp:steelstore_cloud_integrated_storage:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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