Buffer overflow in Bochs
CVE-2018-25220
Bochs 2.6-5 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an oversized input string to the application. Attackers can craft a malicious payload with 1200 bytes of padding followed by a return-oriented programming chain to overwrite the instruction pointer and execute shell commands with application privileges.
Vulnerability class: Buffer Overflow
Published · last modified .
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 9.8 (Critical). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
EPSS exploit prediction
EPSS: 0.006 (48.5th percentile), scored .
Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 48th percentile — 48.5% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.
EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.006 · newest: 0.006 · change: 0.000
Affected products
- Bochs — versions 2.6-5
- Bochs Project — versions 2.6.5
Weakness classification (CWE)
References
- www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43979 (Exploit, VDB Entry, exploit)
- bochs.sourceforge.net/ (Product, product)
- www.vulncheck.com/advisories/bochs-5-buffer-overflow-remote-code-execution (Third Party Advisory, third-party-advisory)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2018-25220?
- CVE-2018-25220 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Bochs, classified under Out-of-bounds Write. CVSS score: 9.8/10. Published 2026-03-28.
- How severe is CVE-2018-25220?
- Critical severity. CVSS v3 base score is 9.8 out of 10.