CVE-2018-14567 — Infinite Loop in Canonical Ubuntu Linux
libxml2 2.9.8, if --with-lzma is used, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafted XML file that triggers LZMA_MEMLIMIT_ERROR, as demonstrated by xmllint, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-8035 and CVE-2018-9251.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 4.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+14
- Technical severity (medium)+3
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — gitlab.gnome.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Xmlsoft Libxml2).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- Exploitation requires user interaction: tighten email/web filtering and warn affected users.
- EPSS ahead of 91% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (denial of service), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canonical | Ubuntu Linux | version 14.04version 16.04version 18.04 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 8.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Xmlsoft | Libxml2 | version 2.9.8 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | CVSS 3.0 | Medium | 2.8 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 4.3 | CVSS 2.0 | Medium | 8.6 | 2.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Track CPU/memory spikes and availability drops correlated with request patterns.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Record published
- Fix documented
- CVSS changed · 6.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2018
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
6 on the record
- gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/libxml2/commit/2240fbf5912054af025fb6e01e26375100275e74
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/09/msg00035.html
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/09/msg00009.html
- usn.ubuntu.com/3739-1/
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/105198
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-12996 A use-after-free in OpenVPN 2.6.0 through 2.6.20 and 2.7_alpha1 through 2.7.4 allows remote... Jul 30, 2026
- High CVE-2026-11979 Stack-Based Buffer Overflow in libxml2 Jun 29, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-56968 Use of Uninitialized Resource in Gnu Sasl Jun 23, 2026
- Critical CVE-2026-6653 libxml2 Use-After-Free in xmlParseInternalSubset Causing Denial of Service Jun 22, 2026
- High CVE-2026-49975 Apache HTTP Server: mod_http2 denial of service Jun 8, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-47334 Deadlock or kernel panic in Ubuntu Linux AppArmor notification handling May 28, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2018-14567 is "Infinite Loop in Canonical Ubuntu Linux", rated Medium. It affects Ubuntu Linux (Canonical); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 6.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 4.35% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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