---
title: "CVE-2018-12546\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-12546?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2018-12546

Publication date 27 March 2019

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**6.5 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-12546?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

In Eclipse Mosquitto version 1.0 to 1.5.5 (inclusive) when a client
publishes a retained message to a topic, then has its access to that topic
revoked, the retained message will still be published to clients that
subscribe to that topic in the future. In some applications this may result
in clients being able cause effects that would otherwise not be allowed.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-12546?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| mosquitto | 19.04 disco | Not affected |
| 18.10 cosmic | Fixed 1.4.15-2ubuntu0.18.10.1 |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Fixed 1.4.15-2ubuntu0.18.04.1 |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 1.4.8-1ubuntu0.16.04.5 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-12546?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [ebarretto](https://launchpad.net/~ebarretto)

mosquitto's version on Trusty is EOL.
The first patch introduced a regression, please see bug below
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1815695

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| mosquitto | * Upstream:   <https://mosquitto.org/files/cve/2018-12546/> |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

6.5 · Medium

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | Low |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | None |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | None |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 6.5 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2018-12546)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-12546)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2018-12546)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2018-12546)

### Other references

* <https://mosquitto.org/blog/2019/02/version-1-5-6-released/>
* <https://mosquitto.org/files/cve/2018-12546>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-12546>