CVE-2014-3631: Null Pointer Dereference

Published Sep 10, 2014
·
Updated

A flaw was found in the way the termination condition in the associative array garbage collection functionality was handled when used from the keys subsystem.

A local unprivileged user could use this flaw to crash the system.

Introduced by: http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=b2a4df200d570b2c33a57e1ebfa5896e4bc81b69

Other sources

The assocarraygc function in the associative-array implementation in lib/assocarray.c in the Linux kernel before 3.16.3 does not properly implement garbage collection, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and system crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via multiple "keyctl newring" operations followed by a "keyctl timeout" operation.

Launchpad

Affected Software

6 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel>=3.13<3.14.19
Linux Linux kernel>=3.15<3.16.3
Linux Linux kernel<=3.16.2
Linux Linux kernel=3.16.0
Linux Linux kernel=3.16.1
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.234-16.1.129-16.1.135-16.12.25-1

Event History

Sep 10, 2014
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·04:59 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Sep 28, 2014
CVE Published
via MITRE·10:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·10:00 AM
Description
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·10:07 PM
Description
Sep 20, 2024
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·01:06 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Apr 28, 2025
Data Sourced
via Debian·02:12 AM
DescriptionAffected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2014-3631?

CVE-2014-3631 has a severity level that can lead to a system crash when exploited.

2

How do I fix CVE-2014-3631?

To fix CVE-2014-3631, update your Linux kernel to version 3.16.4 or later.

3

Which versions of Linux are affected by CVE-2014-3631?

CVE-2014-3631 affects Linux kernel versions from 3.13 to 3.16.3.

4

Can CVE-2014-3631 be exploited by a remote attacker?

No, CVE-2014-3631 can only be exploited by a local unprivileged user on the system.

5

What type of flaw is described in CVE-2014-3631?

CVE-2014-3631 involves a flaw in the garbage collection functionality for associative arrays.

Contact

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