HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2018-3988
MEDIUM

CVE-2018-3988

CWE-200Published: December 10, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

4.7
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Signal Messenger for Android 4.24.8 may expose private information when using "disappearing messages." If a user uses the photo feature available in the "attach file" menu, then Signal will leave the picture in its own cache directory, which is available to any application on the system.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2018-3988 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), with a CVSS base score of 4.7.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-200): Information exposure vulnerabilities leak sensitive data to unauthorized actors.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityHigh
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityNone
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Affected Vendors & Products

signal1 product(s)
private messenger
Source: NVD CPE · 1 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

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106207
ADVISORYhttps://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2018-0656
ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106207
ADVISORYhttps://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2018-0656

All References (4)

→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106207Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2018-0656Exploit · Third Party Advisory
→
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106207Broken Link · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2018-0656Exploit · Third Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2018-3988
CVSS Score4.7 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-200
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedDec 10, 2018

Related CVEs (CWE-200)

CVE-2013-0693
10.0
CVE-2015-2897
10.0
CVE-2008-1252
10.0
CVE-2026-27604
10.0
CVE-2022-29165
10.0
CVE-2025-29270
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2018-3988 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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