CVE-2014-8171: Medium severity linux kernel vulnerability
On a system with memory-constrained cgroups, it is possible for a non-root user to lock up the system by continuously spawning new processes within a cgroup which is already in an OOM event.
Upstream patches:
The deadlock was inherent in the original memcg OOM killer design, so the entire rewrite of that mechanism is required for the fix:
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=
759496ba6407c6994d6a5ce3a5e74937d7816208 3a13c4d761b4b979ba8767f42345fed3274991b0 519e52473ebe9db5cdef44670d5a97f1fd53d721 fb2a6fc56be66c169f8b80e07ed999ba453a2db2 3812c8c8f3953921ef18544110dafc3505c1ac62 4942642080ea82d99ab5b653abb9a12b7ba31f4a 84235de394d9775bfaa7fa9762a59d91fef0c1fc a0d8b00a3381f9d75764b3377590451cb0b4fe41 1f14c1ac19aa45118054b6d5425873c5c7fc23a1 3168ecbe1c04ec3feb7cb42388a17d7f047fe1a2
Other sources
The memory resource controller (aka memcg) in the Linux kernel allows local users to cause a denial of service (deadlock) by spawning new processes within a memory-constrained cgroup.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2014-8171?
The severity of CVE-2014-8171 is classified as important due to its potential to cause system deadlocks.
How do I fix CVE-2014-8171?
To fix CVE-2014-8171, apply the relevant patches provided in the updates for your Linux Kernel or affected distribution.
What systems are affected by CVE-2014-8171?
CVE-2014-8171 affects Linux Kernel versions and specific versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux, including 6.0, 7.0, and Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2.0.
Can non-root users exploit CVE-2014-8171?
Yes, non-root users can exploit CVE-2014-8171 by continuously spawning processes in a memory-constrained cgroup.
What is the impact of CVE-2014-8171 on system performance?
The impact of CVE-2014-8171 can lead to severe performance issues, including system unresponsiveness or crashing due to resource exhaustion.