HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2018-17407
HIGH

CVE-2018-17407

CWE-119Published: September 23, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

An issue was discovered in t1_check_unusual_charstring functions in writet1.c files in TeX Live before 2018-09-21. A buffer overflow in the handling of Type 1 fonts allows arbitrary code execution when a malicious font is loaded by one of the vulnerable tools: pdflatex, pdftex, dvips, or luatex.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2018-17407 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-119): Buffer overflow vulnerabilities can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service by corrupting adjacent memory.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.None
User InteractionRequired
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

Canonical1 product(s)
ubuntu linux
Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
tug1 product(s)
tex live
Source: NVD CPE · 7 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttps://github.com/TeX-Live/texlive-source/commit/6ed0077520e2b0da1fd060c7f88db7b2e6068e4c
PATCHhttps://github.com/TeX-Live/texlive-source/commit/6ed0077520e2b0da1fd060c7f88db7b2e6068e4c
ADVISORYhttps://lists.debian.org/debian-security-announce/2018/msg00230.html
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/3788-1/
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/3788-2/
ADVISORYhttps://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4299
ADVISORYhttps://lists.debian.org/debian-security-announce/2018/msg00230.html
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/3788-1/
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/3788-2/
ADVISORYhttps://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4299

All References (10)

→
https://github.com/TeX-Live/texlive-source/commit/6ed0077520e2b0da1fd060c7f88db7b2e6068e4cPatch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-security-announce/2018/msg00230.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3788-1/Third Party Advisory
→
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3788-2/Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4299Third Party Advisory
→
https://github.com/TeX-Live/texlive-source/commit/6ed0077520e2b0da1fd060c7f88db7b2e6068e4cPatch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-security-announce/2018/msg00230.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3788-1/Third Party Advisory
→
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3788-2/Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4299Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2018-17407
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-119
CISA KEVNo
Affected3 vendor(s)
PublishedSep 23, 2018

Related CVEs (CWE-119)

CVE-2012-5964
10.0
CVE-2002-2251
10.0
CVE-2012-5965
10.0
CVE-2008-4556
10.0
CVE-2001-0803
10.0
CVE-2012-5963
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2018-17407 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
← All Vulnerabilities·Search for CVE-2018-17407·NVD