CVE-2016-4470: Medium severity oracle vm server vulnerability

Published Jun 1, 2016
·
Updated

A local user can trigger a flaw in the Linux kernel's handling of key lookups in the keychain subsystem.

The keyrejectandlink() function contains an error in which a key-lookup can fail and in an attempt to cache the failed lookup may attempt to free memory which can still be in use.

This could crash the system or at worse free a memory block which would then be re-used by another kernel mechanism causing a user after free.

Product bug:

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/showbug.cgi?id=1341352

Upstream patch:

https://www.spinics.net/lists/linux-kernel-janitors/msg26069.html

Other sources

The keyrejectandlink function in security/keys/key.c in the Linux kernel through 4.6.3 does not ensure that a certain data structure is initialized, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) via vectors involving a crafted keyctl request2 command.

Launchpad

Affected Software

18 affected componentsFixes available
Oracle VM Server=3.3
Oracle VM Server=3.4
Oracle Linux=5.0
Oracle Linux=6
Oracle Linux=7
Linux Linux kernel<=4.6.3
Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Real Time Extension=12.0-sp1
redhat Enterprise Linux=6.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux For Real Time=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Hpc Node=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Hpc Node Eus=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server=7.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus=7.2
redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus=7.2
redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation=7.0
redhat Enterprise MRG=2.0
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.234-16.1.129-16.1.133-16.12.22-1

Event History

Jun 1, 2016
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·02:59 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jun 27, 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
Mar 31, 2025
Data Sourced
via Debian·03:24 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 vulnerability?

The vulnerability ID for this vulnerability is CVE-2016-4470.

2

What is the severity of CVE-2016-4470?

The severity of CVE-2016-4470 is high with a severity value of 7.

3

How does CVE-2016-4470 impact the Linux kernel?

CVE-2016-4470 can cause a denial of service (system crash) in the Linux kernel.

4

Which Linux kernel versions are affected by CVE-2016-4470?

Linux kernel versions through 4.6.3 are affected by CVE-2016-4470.

5

How can I fix CVE-2016-4470?

To fix CVE-2016-4470, update your Linux kernel to version 4.7 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