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Vulnerability record · CVE-2018-14665 · published 25 October 2018

CVE-2018-14665: X.org x server incorrect authorization vulnerability

XX.Org · X Server

A flaw was found in xorg-x11-server before 1.20.3. An incorrect permission check for -modulepath and -logfile options when starting Xorg. X server allows unprivileged users with the ability to log in to the system via physical console to escalate their privileges and run arbitrary code under root privileges.

6.6 CVSS 3.0 Medium EPSS 27% · top 2.0% CWE-863 · Incorrect authorization
6.6CVSS 3.0 base score, v2 7.2
27%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
9Affected product versions listed by NVD
40References, 16 tagged exploit
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

A flaw was found in xorg-x11-server before 1.20.3. An incorrect permission check for -modulepath and -logfile options when starting Xorg. X server allows unprivileged users with the ability to log in to the system via physical console to escalate their privileges and run arbitrary code under root privileges.

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

Affected products

9 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154942/Xorg-X11-Server-SUID-modulepath-Privilege-Escalation.html
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155276/Xorg-X11-Server-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105741 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041948 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3410 Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-14665 Issue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/50c0cf885a6e91c0ea71fb49fa8f1b7c86fe330e PatchThird Party Advisory
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/8a59e3b7dbb30532a7c3769c555e00d7c4301170 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2018-October/002927.html MitigationPatchVendor Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201810-09 Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3802-1/ Third Party Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4328 Third Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45697/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45742/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45832/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45908/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45922/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45938/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46142/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.securepatterns.com/2018/10/cve-2018-14665-xorg-x-server.html ExploitThird Party Advisory
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154942/Xorg-X11-Server-SUID-modulepath-Privilege-Escalation.html
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/155276/Xorg-X11-Server-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/105741 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1041948 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3410 Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2018-14665 Issue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/50c0cf885a6e91c0ea71fb49fa8f1b7c86fe330e PatchThird Party Advisory
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/xserver/commit/8a59e3b7dbb30532a7c3769c555e00d7c4301170 PatchThird Party Advisory
https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2018-October/002927.html MitigationPatchVendor Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201810-09 Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3802-1/ Third Party Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4328 Third Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45697/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45742/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45832/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45908/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45922/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/45938/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/46142/ ExploitThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.securepatterns.com/2018/10/cve-2018-14665-xorg-x-server.html ExploitThird Party Advisory

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2018-14665), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-26). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.