CVE-2018-14665
MEDIUMEPSS 98th pctlDescription
A flaw was found in xorg-x11-server before 1.20.3. An incorrect permission check for -modulepath and -logfile options when starting Xorg. X server allows unprivileged users with the ability to log in to the system via physical console to escalate their privileges and run arbitrary code under root privileges.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.0/AV:P/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 98% of all known CVEs.
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154942/Xorg-X11-Server-SUID-modulepath-Privilege-Escalation.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155276/Xorg-X11-Server-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105741
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041948
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3410
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-14665
- https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/50c0cf885a6e91c0ea71fb49fa8f1b7c86fe330e
- https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/8a59e3b7dbb30532a7c3769c555e00d7c4301170
- https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2018-October/002927.html
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201810-09
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3802-1/
- https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4328
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45697/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45742/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45832/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45908/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45922/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45938/
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46142/
- https://www.securepatterns.com/2018/10/cve-2018-14665-xorg-x-server.html
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Start freeThis product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2025-08-29.