CVE-2019-3815: libsystemd0 - Memory Leak in journald-server.c

libsystemd0 Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

28/01/2019
Yes i
Low
3.3

CVE-2019-3815: systemd: memory leak in journald-server.c introduced by fix for CVE-2018-16864. Affects libsystemd0 versions < 232-25+deb9u8. Fixed in 232-25+deb9u8. How to fix ↓

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Background

libsystemd0 is a library that provides an interface to systemd, a system and service manager for Linux operating systems. It is responsible for managing system processes, logging, and other system-related tasks. The vulnerability, CVE-2019-3815, is a memory leak issue that was introduced in the backport of fixes for CVE-2018-16864 in Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The function dispatch_message_real() in journald-server.c does not properly free the memory allocated by set_iovec_field_free() to store the _CMDLINE= entry. This flaw can be exploited by a local attacker to cause systemd-journald to crash. The vulnerability affects versions shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux since v219-62.2.

Vulnerability Detail

The memory leak vulnerability in libsystemd0 allows a local attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) by exploiting the flawed memory management in journald-server.c. By repeatedly triggering the vulnerability, an attacker can exhaust system resources and crash systemd-journald. This can lead to a loss of system logs and potentially impact the availability of the affected system. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 3.3, indicating a moderate severity.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

232-25+deb9u8

This is the first release that contains the fix.

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Workaround

There is no specific workaround mentioned for this vulnerability.

Conclusion

The memory leak vulnerability in libsystemd0 can be exploited by a local attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) by crashing systemd-journald. It is recommended to update the libsystemd0 package to version 232-25+deb9u8 or later to mitigate the vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

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FAQ

libsystemd0 is a library that provides an interface to systemd, a system and service manager for Linux operating systems. It is responsible for managing system processes, logging, and other system-related tasks.

The vulnerability allows a local attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) by exploiting the flawed memory management in journald-server.c. This can lead to a loss of system logs and potentially impact the availability of the affected system.

The vulnerability affects versions of libsystemd0 shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux since v219-62.2.

Yes, the vulnerability can be fixed by updating the libsystemd0 package to version 232-25+deb9u8 or later.

The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 3.3, indicating a moderate severity.

Related vulnerabilities

Recent vulnerabilities recorded for libsystemd0.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

232-25+deb9u8

This is the first release that contains the fix.

Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →

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