CVE-2017-18018: gnu coreutils Race Condition
CVSS: 7.1v3.1HighModified
AliasesALPINE-CVE-2017-18018UBUNTU-CVE-2017-18018DEBIAN-CVE-2017-18018
Published 04-01-2018Last modified 09-06-2025
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2017-18018 is a high (CVSS 7.1) Race Condition vulnerability in gnu coreutils. EPSS estimates a 0.34% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 26.6% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.
CVSS score
7.1/10
010
High · v3.1 (CVE.org)EPSS score
0.34%
0%100%
Low · 0.00 pp in 30 daysKEVNot listedIn no KEV catalog
RansomwareNone recordedNo known use recorded
Public exploits1reference
Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 1Timeline
- 04-01-2018PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 09-06-2025Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
In GNU Coreutils through 8.29, chown-core.c in chown and chgrp does not prevent replacement of a plain file with a symlink during use of the POSIX "-R -L" options, which allows local users to modify the ownership of arbitrary files by leveraging a race condition.
CVSS metrics
8 scores · 5 sources · 3 versionsHigh 7.1Preferred score · CVE.org (CNA)
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:NSourcesAll 3 agree
- NVDNIST7.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated7.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Medium 4.7Preferred score · NVD (NIST)
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:NSourcesAll 4 agree
- OSV · AlpineEcosystem advisory · calculated4.7MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated4.7MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated4.7MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
Low 1.9Preferred score · NVD (NIST)
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:NSourcesSingle source
EPSS trend
Probability
0.34%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
27%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
0.00 pp
From 0.34% on 20-09-2026
20-09-202620-10-2026
EPSS score0.34%
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogsNot in any of the 3 tracked catalogs.
Public exploits
1 foundExploit Reference (lists.gnu.org)
Maturity: unknown
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Alpine1 product
- coreutils< 8.30-r0 | < 8.28-r0 | < 8.29-r2
Debian1 product
- coreutilsAll versions (No fix recorded)
Gnu1 product
- coreutils≤ 8.29
Ubuntu1 product
- coreutilsAll versions (No fix recorded)
4 vendors · 4 products
References
8 links- lists.gnu.org/archive/html/coreutils/2017-12/msg00045.htmlX Refsource MISCExploitIssue TrackingThird Party AdvisoryREPORT
