CVE-2016-5195
Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect handling of a…
High
Known exploited
- Severity
- 7.0 / 10
- High · CVSS 3.1
- Exploit chance (EPSS)
- 83.52%
- Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days. Higher than 99.69% of scored vulnerabilities.
- Known exploited
- Yes
- In CISA's catalog since Mar 3, 2022
- Weakness
- —
- Not classified
- Fix
- None yet
- No fixed version published
Exploited in the wild. Linux Kernel Race Condition Vulnerability (Linux Kernel). Required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions. Due for U.S. federal agencies by Mar 24, 2022.
Description
Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect handling of a copy-on-write (COW) feature to write to a read-only memory mapping, as exploited in the wild in October 2016, aka "Dirty COW."
How to fix
No fixed version has been published yet. Until one is, remove or replace the package, or turn off or isolate the affected feature. This page updates when a fix ships.
Severity breakdown
CVSS 3.1 7.0
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- High
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
References
Advisories
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2133.html
- h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/30/1
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3107-1
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:0372
- dirtycow.ninja
- kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index
- arista.com/en/support/advisories-notices/security-advisories/1753-security-advi…
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2106.html
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20161025-0001
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/142151/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0021-1.html
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3106-4
- h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display
- securityfocus.com/archive/1/540252/100/0/threaded
- securityfocus.com/bid/93793
- help.ecostruxureit.com/display/public/UADCO8x/StruxureWare+Data+Center+Operation+Software+V…
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/27/13
- h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display
- huawei.com/en/psirt/security-advisories/huawei-sa-20161207-01-dirtycow-en
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/08/09/4
- kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3106-2
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2120.html
- securityfocus.com/archive/1/archive/1/539611/100/0/threaded
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2132.html
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/E7M…
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/W3A…
- kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/08/08/1
- securitytracker.com/id/1037078
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2118.html
- h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display
- debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3696
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/08/15/1
- github.com/dirtycow/dirtycow.github.io/wiki/PoCs
- h20566.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay
- exploit-db.com/exploits/40847
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2128.html
- security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2016-5195
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/08/08/8
- securityfocus.com/archive/1/539611/100/0/threaded
- access.redhat.com/security/vulnerabilities/2706661
- kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2098.html
- source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-11-01.html
- tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20181107-vcsd
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2110.html
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/08/08/7
- securityfocus.com/archive/1/540736/100/0/threaded
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3104-1
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3104-2
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3106-3
- h20566.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay
- tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20161026-linux
- securityfocus.com/archive/1/archive/1/540252/100/0/threaded
- fortiguard.com/advisory/FG-IR-16-063
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2105.html
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/21/1
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3105-1
- h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display
- kb.cert.org/vuls/id/243144
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/03/07/1
- securityfocus.com/archive/1/archive/1/540736/100/0/threaded
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3105-2
- access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2016-5195
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3106-1
- ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3107-2
- h20566.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay
- kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-04/msg00041.html
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2124.html
- kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.8.3
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2022/08/08/2
- people.canonical.com/~ubuntu-security/cve/2016/CVE-2016-5195.html
- source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-12-01.html
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2127.html
- securityfocus.com/archive/1/540344/100/0/threaded
- securityfocus.com/archive/1/archive/1/540344/100/0/threaded
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2126.html
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/26/7
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2107.html
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/11/03/7
- kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NWM…
Fixes and patches
Exploits and evidence
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/139287/DirtyCow-Local-Root-Proof-Of-Concept.html
- exploit-db.com/exploits/40611
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/139286/DirtyCow-Linux-Kernel-Race-Condition.html
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/139277/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0012-1.html
- exploit-db.com/exploits/40616
- exploit-db.com/exploits/40839
- github.com/dirtycow/dirtycow.github.io/wiki/VulnerabilityDetails
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/139922/Linux-Kernel-Dirty-COW-PTRACE_POKEDATA-Privilege-Escala…
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/139923/Linux-Kernel-Dirty-COW-PTRACE_POKEDATA-Privilege-Escala…
Issue reports
Write-ups
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00035.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00056.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00072.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00057.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-12/msg00033.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00066.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00045.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00064.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00053.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-12/msg00100.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00039.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00067.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00036.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00034.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00065.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00040.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00051.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00058.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00054.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00048.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00038.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00063.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00052.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00050.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00049.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-10/msg00055.html
Other links
Timeline
- Published
- Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
- Remediation due for U.S. federal agencies
- Last updated by the source
- Latest EPSS score
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