---
title: "CVE-2018-6791\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-2018-6791?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2018-6791

Publication date 7 February 2018

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**6.8 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2018-6791?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

An issue was discovered in soliduiserver/deviceserviceaction.cpp in KDE
Plasma Workspace before 5.12.0. When a vfat thumbdrive that contains `` or
$() in its volume label is plugged in and mounted through the device
notifier, it's interpreted as a shell command, leading to a possibility of
arbitrary command execution. An example of an offending volume label is
"$(touch b)" -- this will create a file called b in the home folder.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| kde-workspace | 19.04 disco | Not in release |
| 18.10 cosmic | Not in release |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release |
| 17.10 artful | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| plasma-workspace | 19.04 disco | Not affected |
| 18.10 cosmic | Not affected |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 17.10 artful | Fixed 4:5.10.5-0ubuntu1.1 |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 4:5.5.5.2-0ubuntu1.1 |
| 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-2018-6791?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 |
| --- | --- |
| plasma-workspace | * Upstream:   [?id=9db](https://cgit.kde.org/plasma-workspace.git/commit/?id=9db872df82c258315c6ebad800af59e81ffb9212) |

## 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-2018-6791)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-6791)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2018-6791)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2018-6791)

### Other references

* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-6791>