How severe is CVE-2018-25078?

CVE-2018-25078 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-2018-25078 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (30th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-25078?

CVE-2018-25078 affects Man-db Project Man-db. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-25078?

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-2018-25078 published?

CVE-2018-25078 was published on 2023-01-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-25078

CVE-2018-25078 is a high-severity vulnerability in Man-db Project Man-db 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-250.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (30th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-250
Affected product: Man-db Project Man-db
Published: 2023-01-26
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

man-db before 2.8.5 on Gentoo allows local users (with access to the man user account) to gain root privileges because /usr/bin/mandb is executed by root but not owned by root. (Also, the owner can strip the setuid and setgid bits.)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-25078?: man-db before 2.8.5 on Gentoo allows local users (with access to the man user account) to gain root privileges because /usr/bin/mandb is executed by root but not owned by root. (Also, the owner can strip the setuid and setgid bits.)
How severe is CVE-2018-25078?: CVE-2018-25078 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-2018-25078 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (30th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-25078?: CVE-2018-25078 affects Man-db Project Man-db. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-25078?: 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-2018-25078 published?: CVE-2018-25078 was published on 2023-01-26 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:man-db_project:man-db:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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