---
title: "CVE-2018-20551\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-2018-20551?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2018-20551

Publication date 28 December 2018

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Low**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**6.5 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-20551?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

A reachable Object::getString assertion in Poppler 0.72.0 allows attackers
to cause a denial of service due to construction of invalid rich media
annotation assets in the AnnotRichMedia class in Annot.c.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| poppler | 18.10 cosmic | Fixed 0.68.0-0ubuntu1.5 |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Fixed 0.62.0-2ubuntu2.7 |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 0.41.0-0ubuntu1.12 |
| 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)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-20551?format=md#patch-details)

### 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 |
| --- | --- |
| poppler | * Upstream:   [7f87dc1](https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/commit/7f87dc10b6adccd6d1b977a28b064add254aa2da) |

## 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 | None |
  | User interaction | Required |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | None |
  | Integrity impact | None |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

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

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2018-20551)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-20551)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2018-20551)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2018-20551)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-3886-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3886-1)
+ poppler vulnerabilities
+ 11 February 2019

### Other references

* <https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/issues/703>
* <https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/poppler/poppler/merge_requests/146>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-20551>