CVE-2012-2137: Buffer Overflow

Published Apr 25, 2012
·
Updated

Buffer overflow in virt/kvm/irqcomm.c in the KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel before 3.2.24 allows local users to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via vectors related to Message Signaled Interrupts (MSI), irq routing entries, and an incorrect check by the setuproutingentry function before invoking the kvmsetirq function.

Other sources

kvmsetirq() has an internal buffer of three irq routing entries, allowing connecting a GSI to three IRQ chips or on MSI. However setuproutingentry() does not properly enforce this, allowing three irqchip routes followed by an MSI route to overflow the buffer.

An unprivileged local user could use this flaw to crash the system or potentialy escalate their privileges.

Red Hat

Affected Software

7 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel>=2.6.33<3.0.72
Linux Linux kernel>=3.1<3.2.24
Linux Linux kernel>=3.3<3.4.81
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=10.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=11.10
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=12.04
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.234-16.1.129-16.1.135-16.12.27-1

Event History

Apr 25, 2012
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·11:07 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 22, 2013
CVE Published
via MITRE·11:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·11:00 PM
Description
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·09:58 PM
Description
Sep 20, 2024
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·12:50 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
May 14, 2025
Data Sourced
via Debian·12:13 AM
DescriptionAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2012-2137?

CVE-2012-2137 has been categorized as a high severity vulnerability due to its potential to cause denial of service and may allow arbitrary code execution.

2

How do I fix CVE-2012-2137?

To fix CVE-2012-2137, update your Linux kernel to version 3.2.25 or higher, or apply the relevant patches if using affected distributions.

3

Which systems are affected by CVE-2012-2137?

CVE-2012-2137 affects Linux kernel versions prior to 3.2.25, including specific Ubuntu releases like 10.04, 11.10, and 12.04.

4

What impact does CVE-2012-2137 have on systems?

Exploitation of CVE-2012-2137 can lead to system crashes and potentially allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.

5

Is CVE-2012-2137 exploitable remotely?

CVE-2012-2137 is primarily a local vulnerability, meaning it requires local access to the system to be exploited.

Contact

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