Skip to main content
HIGH

CVE-2018-20452

CVSS v3

8.8

HIGH

EPSS Score

1.5 %

exploit probability, as of 2026-09-25

CISA KEV

No

known exploited

Exploitation

—

SSVC status

Description

The read_MSAT_body function in ole.c in libxls 1.4.0 has an invalid free that allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted file, because of inconsistent memory management (new versus free) in ole2_read_header in ole.c.

Technical details

Published
2018-12-25

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-20452?

The read_MSAT_body function in ole.c in libxls 1.4.0 has an invalid free that allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted file, because of inconsistent memory management (new versus free) in ole2_read_header in ole.c.

Is CVE-2018-20452 actively exploited?

Active exploitation of CVE-2018-20452 has not been confirmed. Its EPSS score was 1.5% on 2026-09-25, the estimated probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2018-20452?

CVE-2018-20452 has a CVSS v3 base score of 8.8 (HIGH severity).

Is CVE-2018-20452 affecting your environment?

Use isMalicious to check if any of your IPs or domains are associated with this vulnerability's IOCs.

No credit card required · 500 free checks/month · Free API key