HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2018-20182
CRITICAL

CVE-2018-20182

CWE-119Published: March 15, 2019· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

9.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

rdesktop versions up to and including v1.8.3 contain a Buffer Overflow over the global variables in the function seamless_process_line() that results in memory corruption and probably even a remote code execution.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2018-20182 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.

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 9.8.

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

Affected Vendors & Products

Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
rdesktop1 product(s)
rdesktop
Source: NVD CPE · 3 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/rdesktop/rdesktop/commit/4dca546d04321a610c1835010b5dad85163b65e1
PATCHhttps://github.com/rdesktop/rdesktop/commit/4dca546d04321a610c1835010b5dad85163b65e1
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106938
ADVISORYhttps://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/02/msg00030.html
ADVISORYhttps://research.checkpoint.com/reverse-rdp-attack-code-execution-on-rdp-clients/
ADVISORYhttps://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201903-06
ADVISORYhttps://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4394
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106938
ADVISORYhttps://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/02/msg00030.html
ADVISORYhttps://research.checkpoint.com/reverse-rdp-attack-code-execution-on-rdp-clients/
ADVISORYhttps://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201903-06
ADVISORYhttps://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4394

All References (14)

→
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-09/msg00040.html
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106938Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://github.com/rdesktop/rdesktop/commit/4dca546d04321a610c1835010b5dad85163b65e1Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/02/msg00030.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://research.checkpoint.com/reverse-rdp-attack-code-execution-on-rdp-clients/Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201903-06Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4394Third Party Advisory
→
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-09/msg00040.html
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106938Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://github.com/rdesktop/rdesktop/commit/4dca546d04321a610c1835010b5dad85163b65e1Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/02/msg00030.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://research.checkpoint.com/reverse-rdp-attack-code-execution-on-rdp-clients/Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201903-06Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4394Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2018-20182
CVSS Score9.8 / 10
SeverityCRITICAL
WeaknessCWE-119
CISA KEVNo
Affected2 vendor(s)
PublishedMar 15, 2019

Related CVEs (CWE-119)

CVE-2009-0869
10.0
CVE-2009-3952
10.0
CVE-2025-1866
10.0
CVE-2009-0836
10.0
CVE-2009-1382
10.0
CVE-2009-3846
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2018-20182 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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