CVE-2011-2479: Medium severity Linux Linux kernel vulnerability
Description of problem: The hugememory.c THP page fault was allowed to run if vmops was null (which would succeed for /dev/zero MAPPRIVATE, as the fop->mmap wouldn't setup a special vma->vmops and it would fallback to regular anonymous memory) but other THP logics weren't fully activated for vmas with vmfile not NULL (/dev/zero has a not NULL vma->vmfile).
Unprivileged local user could use this flaw to crash the server.
Upstream patch: 78f11a255749d09025f54d4e2df4fbcb031530e2
References: https://bugzilla.kernel.org/showbug.cgi?id=33682 http://www.spinics.net/lists/stable-commits/msg11762.html
Other sources
The Linux kernel before 2.6.39 does not properly create transparent huge pages in response to a MAPPRIVATE mmap system call on /dev/zero, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) via a crafted application.
— Launchpad
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
- Upgrade
Upgrade
Linux kernelto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Patch 78f11a255749d09025f54d4e2df4fbcb031530e2
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2011-2479?
CVE-2011-2479 is classified as a medium severity vulnerability affecting the Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2011-2479?
To address CVE-2011-2479, upgrade the Linux kernel to version 2.6.39 or later.
What systems are affected by CVE-2011-2479?
CVE-2011-2479 affects Linux kernel versions prior to 2.6.39, particularly in Debian-based systems.
What types of attacks can exploit CVE-2011-2479?
CVE-2011-2479 can be exploited through specially crafted user memory operations allowing unauthorized access.
When was CVE-2011-2479 discovered?
CVE-2011-2479 was reported in June 2011 during security assessments of the Linux kernel.