HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2018-18629
HIGHPOC

CVE-2018-18629

CWE-426Published: December 20, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

An issue was discovered in the Keybase command-line client before 2.8.0-20181023124437 for Linux. An untrusted search path vulnerability in the keybase-redirector application allows a local, unprivileged user on Linux to gain root privileges via a Trojan horse binary.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2018-18629 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

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.

A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2018-18629. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

keybase1 product(s)
keybase
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

POC AVAILABLEProof-of-concept code exists
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://hackerone.com/reports/426944
PATCHhttps://hackerone.com/reports/426944
ADVISORYhttps://blog.mirch.io/2018/12/21/cve-2018-18629-keybase-linux-privilege-escalation/
ADVISORYhttps://keybase.io/docs/secadv/kb002
ADVISORYhttps://blog.mirch.io/2018/12/21/cve-2018-18629-keybase-linux-privilege-escalation/
ADVISORYhttps://keybase.io/docs/secadv/kb002

All References (6)

→
https://blog.mirch.io/2018/12/21/cve-2018-18629-keybase-linux-privilege-escalation/Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
https://hackerone.com/reports/426944Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://keybase.io/docs/secadv/kb002Exploit · Vendor Advisory
→
https://blog.mirch.io/2018/12/21/cve-2018-18629-keybase-linux-privilege-escalation/Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
https://hackerone.com/reports/426944Exploit · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://keybase.io/docs/secadv/kb002Exploit · Vendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2018-18629
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-426
CISA KEVNo
ExploitPOC
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedDec 20, 2018

Related CVEs (CWE-426)

CVE-2024-35260
9.8
CVE-2017-12414
9.8
CVE-2020-15801
9.8
CVE-2011-4125
9.8
CVE-2026-45772
9.8
CVE-2025-26155
9.8

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2018-18629 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.
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