---
title: "CVE-2018-14779\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-2018-14779?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2018-14779

Publication date 15 August 2018

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**High**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**6.8 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-14779?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

A buffer overflow issue was discovered in the Yubico-Piv 1.5.0 smartcard
driver. The file lib/ykpiv.c contains the following code in the function
`ykpiv\_transfer\_data()`: {% highlight c %} if(\*out\_len + recv\_len - 2 >
max\_out) { fprintf(stderr, "Output buffer to small, wanted to write %lu,
max was %lu.", \*out\_len + recv\_len - 2, max\_out); } if(out\_data) {
memcpy(out\_data, data, recv\_len - 2); out\_data += recv\_len - 2; \*out\_len +=
recv\_len - 2; } {% endhighlight %} -- it is clearly checked whether the
buffer is big enough to hold the data copied using `memcpy()`, but no error
handling happens to avoid the `memcpy()` in such cases. This code path can
be triggered with malicious data coming from a smartcard.

### From the Ubuntu Security Team

It was discovered that libykpiv, a supporting library of the Yubico PIV
tool and YubiKey PIV Manager, mishandled specially crafted input. An attacker
with a custom-made, malicious USB device could potentially execute arbitrary
code on a computer running the Yubico PIV Tool or Yubikey PIV Manager.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| yubico-piv-tool | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not affected |
| 21.10 impish | Not affected |
| 21.04 hirsute | Not affected |
| 20.10 groovy | Not affected |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not affected |
| 19.10 eoan | Not affected |
| 19.04 disco | Ignored end of life |
| 18.10 cosmic | Ignored end of life |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Fixed 1.4.2-2ubuntu0.1 |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 1.0.3-1ubuntu0.1~esm1  Ubuntu Pro |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)

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## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

6.8 · Medium

* Base metrics

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

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 6.8 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.0/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2018-14779)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-14779)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2018-14779)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2018-14779)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-4276-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-4276-1)
+ Yubico PIV Tool vulnerabilities
+ 11 February 2020

+ [USN-4846-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-4846-1)
+ Yubico PIV Tool vulnerabilities
+ 15 March 2021

### Other references

* <https://www.x41-dsec.de/lab/advisories/x41-2018-001-Yubico-Piv/>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-14779>