CVE-2016-3951: Double Free

Published Apr 7, 2016
·
Updated

A vulnerability was found in the usbnet Linux kernel driver.

The bug allows physically proximate attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and system crash) or possibly have other impact by inserting a USB device with an invalid USB descriptor.

Upstream fixes:

https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=4d06dd537f95683aba3651098ae288b7cbff8274 https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=1666984c8625b3db19a9abc298931d35ab7bc64b

External references:

https://www.spinics.net/lists/netdev/msg367669.html https://bugzilla.novell.com/showbug.cgi?id=974418

Reference and CVE assignment:

http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2016/q2/19

Other sources

Double free vulnerability in drivers/net/usb/cdcncm.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5 allows physically proximate attackers to cause a denial of service (system crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact by inserting a USB device with an invalid USB descriptor.

Launchpad

Affected Software

16 affected componentsFixes available
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=12.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=14.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=15.10
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit=12.0-sp1
SUSE Suse Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit=12.0
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop=12
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop=12-sp1
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Live Patching=12.0
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Module For Public Cloud=12
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Real Time Extension=12-sp1
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Server=12.0
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Server=12.0-sp1
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension=12.0
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Workstation Extension=12.0-sp1
Linux Linux kernel=4.5.0-rc7
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.234-16.1.129-16.1.135-16.12.22-16.12.25-1

Event History

Apr 7, 2016
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·09:41 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
May 2, 2016
CVE Published
via MITRE·10:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·10:00 AM
Description
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·10:17 PM
Description
Sep 16, 2024
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·01:14 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
May 2, 2025
Data Sourced
via Debian·03:29 AM
DescriptionAffected Software
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the vulnerability ID for this double free vulnerability?

The vulnerability ID for this double free vulnerability is CVE-2016-3951.

2

What is the severity of CVE-2016-3951?

The severity of CVE-2016-3951 is low.

3

How does CVE-2016-3951 affect Linux kernel versions?

CVE-2016-3951 affects Linux kernel versions before 4.5.

4

What is the impact of CVE-2016-3951?

The impact of CVE-2016-3951 is a denial of service (system crash) or possibly unspecified other impact by inserting a USB device with an invalid USB descriptor.

5

How can I fix CVE-2016-3951?

To fix CVE-2016-3951, update your Linux kernel to version 4.5 or later.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203