CVE-2012-6657: Medium severity linux kernel vulnerability
It was found that the Linux kernel's networking implementation did not correctly handle the setting of the keepalive socket option on raw sockets. A local user able to create a raw socket could use this flaw to crash the system.
Other sources
Linux kernel built with the Networking support(CONFIGNET) is vulnerable to a crash, while resetting a socket timer. It could occur while doing a setsockopt(SOKEEPALIVE) call.
A privileged user/process able to create RAW socket could use this flaw to crash the system kernel resulting in DoS.
Upstream fix: ------------- -> https://git.kernel.org/linus/3e10986d1d698140747fcfc2761ec9cb64c1d582
— Red Hat
The socksetsockopt function in net/core/sock.c in the Linux kernel before 3.5.7 does not ensure that a keepalive action is associated with a stream socket, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) by leveraging the ability to create a raw socket.
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2012-6657?
CVE-2012-6657 has a medium severity rating due to its potential to allow a local user to crash the system.
How do I fix CVE-2012-6657?
To fix CVE-2012-6657, update your kernel to a version higher than 0:2.6.32-504.3.3.el6 or the specific versions for the Linux kernel that include patches.
Which systems are affected by CVE-2012-6657?
CVE-2012-6657 affects various Linux kernel versions including those from Red Hat and SUSE enterprise distributions.
Can CVE-2012-6657 be exploited remotely?
No, CVE-2012-6657 cannot be exploited remotely as it requires local user access to create raw sockets.
What are the potential impacts of CVE-2012-6657?
The potential impact of CVE-2012-6657 includes system crashes due to improper handling of the keepalive socket option.