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CVE-2018-19490

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct...

7.8 HighFix available

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
Required

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

1.77%Up 0.3 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 7.8

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.

Record
CVE-2018-19490
CVSS 3.0
7.8 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS 2.0
6.8 MediumAV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness
CWE-787
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.

Record
CVE-2018-19490
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2018-11179 No score

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.

Record
EUVD-2018-11179
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-c49p-76wp-8wwx 7.8

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct...

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.

Record
GHSA-c49p-76wp-8wwx
CVSS 3.0
7.8 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-787
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 7.8

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.

Record
CVE-2018-19490
CVSS 3.0
7.8 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2018-19490 7.8

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2018-19490
CVSS 3.0
7.8 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
Show 7 moreShow less
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2018-19490 7.8

An issue was discovered in datafile.c in Gnuplot 5.2.5. This issue allows an attacker to conduct a heap-based buffer overflow with an arbitrary amount of data in df_generate_ascii_array_entry. To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must pass an overlong string as the right bound of the range argument that is passed to the plot function.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2018-19490
CVSS 3.0
7.8 HighCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2019:1216-1 No score

Security update for gnuplot

This update for gnuplot fixes the following issues:

Security issues fixed:

  • CVE-2018-19492: Fixed a buffer overflow in cairotrm_options function (bsc#1117463)
  • CVE-2018-19491: Fixed a buffer overlow in the PS_options function (bsc#1117464)
  • CVE-2018-19490: Fixed a heap-based buffer overflow in the df_generate_ascii_array_entry function (bsc#1117465)

This update was imported from the SUSE:SLE-15:Update update project.

Record
openSUSE-SU-2019:1216-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:10800-1 No score

gnuplot-5.4.2-1.3 on GA media

These are all security issues fixed in the gnuplot-5.4.2-1.3 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.

Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:10800-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVSUSE-SU-2019:0904-1 No score

Security update for gnuplot

This update for gnuplot fixes the following issues:

Security issues fixed:

  • CVE-2018-19492: Fixed a buffer overflow in cairotrm_options function (bsc#1117463)
  • CVE-2018-19491: Fixed a buffer overlow in the PS_options function (bsc#1117464)
  • CVE-2018-19490: Fixed a heap-based buffer overflow in the df_generate_ascii_array_entry function (bsc#1117465)
Record
SUSE-SU-2019:0904-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVSUSE-SU-2020:1660-1 No score

Security update for gnuplot

This update for gnuplot fixes the following issues:

Following security issues were fixed:

  • CVE-2018-19492: Fixed a buffer overflow in cairotrm_options function (bsc#1117463)
  • CVE-2018-19491: Fixed a buffer overlow in the PS_options function (bsc#1117464)
  • CVE-2018-19490: Fixed a heap-based buffer overflow in the df_generate_ascii_array_entry function (bsc#1117465)
  • CVE-2017-9670: Fixed a uninitialized stack variable vulnerability which could lead to a Denial of Service (bsc#1044638)
Record
SUSE-SU-2020:1660-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUSN-4541-1 No score

gnuplot vulnerabilities

Tim Blazytko, Cornelius Aschermann, Sergej Schumilo and Nils Bars discovered that Gnuplot did not properly validate string sizes in the df_generate_ascii_array_entry function. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a heap buffer overflow, resulting in a denial of service attack or arbitrary code execution. (CVE-2018-19490)

Tim Blazytko, Cornelius Aschermann, Sergej Schumilo and Nils Bars discovered that Gnuplot did not properly validate string sizes in the PS_options function when the Gnuplot postscript terminal is used as a backend. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a buffer overflow, resulting in a denial of service attack or arbitrary code execution. (CVE-2018-19491)

Tim Blazytko, Cornelius Aschermann, Sergej Schumilo and Nils Bars discovered that Gnuplot did not properly validate string sizes in the cairotrm_options function when the Gnuplot postscript terminal is used as a backend. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause a buffer overflow, resulting in a denial of service attack or arbitrary code execution. (CVE-2018-19492)

Record
USN-4541-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUSN-7589-1 No score

gnuplot vulnerabilities

Tim Blazytko, Cornelius Aschermann, Sergej Schumilo, and Nils Bars discovered that Gnuplot had several memory-related issues. An attacker could possibly use these issues to cause Gnuplot to experience a buffer overflow, resulting in a denial of service or arbitrary code execution. These issues only affected Ubuntu 14.04 LTS and Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. (CVE-2018-19490, CVE-2018-19491, CVE-2018-19492)

It was discovered that Gnuplot could write out-of-bounds due to the use of strncpy(). An attacker could possibly use this issue to enable the execution of arbitrary code. This issue only affected Ubuntu 20.04 LTS. (CVE-2020-25412)

It was discovered that Gnuplot incorrectly freed memory when executing print_set_output(). An attacker could possibly use this issue to enable the execution of arbitrary code. (CVE-2020-25559)

It was discovered that Gnuplot's plotrequest() function contained a buffer overflow. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Gnuplot to crash, resulting in a denial of service or arbitrary code execution. (CVE-2020-25969)

It was discovered that Gnuplot's boundary3d() function could be made to divide by zero. An attacker could possibly use this issue to cause Gnuplot to crash, resulting in a denial of service. (CVE-2021-44917)

Record
USN-7589-1
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
gnuplot
Debian:12
before 5.4.0+dfsg1-1
5.4.0+dfsg1-1
gnuplot
Debian:13
before 5.4.0+dfsg1-1
5.4.0+dfsg1-1
gnuplot
Debian:14
before 5.4.0+dfsg1-1
5.4.0+dfsg1-1
gnuplot5
Debian:8
From an advisory covering 3 CVEs
before 5.0.0~rc+dfsg2-1+deb8u1, plus listed versions
5.0.0~rc+dfsg2-1
5.0.0~rc+dfsg2-1+deb8u1
gnuplot
Debian:8
From an advisory covering 3 CVEs
before 4.6.6-2+deb8u1, plus listed versions
4.6.6-2
4.6.6-2+deb8u1
gnuplot
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Server Applications 15
From an advisory covering 3 CVEs
before 5.2.2-3.3.29
5.2.2-3.3.29
gnuplot
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4
From an advisory covering 4 CVEs
before 4.6.5-3.3.74
4.6.5-3.3.74
gnuplot
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4
From an advisory covering 4 CVEs
before 4.6.5-3.3.74
4.6.5-3.3.74
gnuplot
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5
From an advisory covering 4 CVEs
before 4.6.5-3.3.74
4.6.5-3.3.74
gnuplot
SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5
From an advisory covering 4 CVEs
before 4.6.5-3.3.74
4.6.5-3.3.74
Show 11 moreShow less
Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
gnuplot
Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS
before 4.6.4-2ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions
4.6.3-24.6.4-14.6.4-2
4.6.4-2ubuntu0.1~esm1
gnuplot
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
before 4.6.6-3ubuntu0.1, plus listed versions
4.6.6-24.6.6-3
4.6.6-3ubuntu0.1
gnuplot5
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
All versions, plus listed versions
5.0.1+dfsg1-35.0.2+dfsg1-15.0.2+dfsg1-25.0.3+dfsg1-15.0.3+dfsg1-25.0.3+dfsg2-1
None known
gnuplot
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS
before 5.2.2+dfsg1-2ubuntu1+esm1, plus listed versions
5.0.7+dfsg1-15.2.2+dfsg1-25.2.2+dfsg1-2ubuntu1
5.2.2+dfsg1-2ubuntu1+esm1
gnuplot
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 3 CVEs
before 4.6.6-3ubuntu0.1, plus listed versions
4.6.6-24.6.6-3
4.6.6-3ubuntu0.1
gnuplot
Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 7 CVEs
before 4.6.4-2ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions
4.6.3-24.6.4-14.6.4-2
4.6.4-2ubuntu0.1~esm1
gnuplot
Ubuntu:Pro:16.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 7 CVEs
before 4.6.6-3ubuntu0.1+esm1, plus listed versions
4.6.6-24.6.6-34.6.6-3ubuntu0.1
4.6.6-3ubuntu0.1+esm1
gnuplot
Ubuntu:Pro:18.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 7 CVEs
before 5.2.2+dfsg1-2ubuntu1+esm1, plus listed versions
5.0.7+dfsg1-15.2.2+dfsg1-25.2.2+dfsg1-2ubuntu1
5.2.2+dfsg1-2ubuntu1+esm1
gnuplot
Ubuntu:Pro:20.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 7 CVEs
before 5.2.8+dfsg1-2ubuntu0.1~esm1, plus listed versions
5.2.6+dfsg1-25.2.7+dfsg1-65.2.8+dfsg1-15.2.8+dfsg1-2
5.2.8+dfsg1-2ubuntu0.1~esm1
gnuplot
openSUSE:Leap 15.0
From an advisory covering 3 CVEs
before 5.2.2-lp150.3.3.1
5.2.2-lp150.3.3.1
gnuplot
openSUSE:Tumbleweed
From an advisory covering 5 CVEs
before 5.4.2-1.3
5.4.2-1.3

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, facts
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2018-19490 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Gnuplot, published November 23, 2018. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 1.77%, the 78th percentile. Fixed in gnuplot 5.4.0+dfsg1-1.

References

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