CVE-2016-4581: Null Pointer Dereference

Published May 6, 2016
·
Updated

fs/pnode.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.4 does not properly traverse a mount propagation tree in a certain case involving a slave mount, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and OOPS) via a crafted series of mount system calls.

Other sources

It was reported that when first propagated copy is a slave, it causes kernel oops. This oops happens with the namespacesem held and can be triggered by non-root users.

Upstream patch:

https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=5ec0811d30378ae104f250bfc9b3640242d81e3f

Red Hat

Affected Software

7 affected componentsFixes available
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=12.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=14.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=15.10
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.04
Linux Linux kernel<=4.5.3
Oracle Linux=6
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.234-16.1.129-16.1.135-16.12.25-1

Event History

May 6, 2016
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·08:07 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
May 23, 2016
CVE Published
via MITRE·10:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·10:00 AM
Description
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·10:19 PM
Description
Sep 16, 2024
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·01:14 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Mar 27, 2025
Data Sourced
via Debian·03:28 AM
DescriptionAffected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the vulnerability ID for this vulnerability?

The vulnerability ID for this vulnerability is CVE-2016-4581.

2

What is the severity of CVE-2016-4581?

The severity of CVE-2016-4581 is medium.

3

What is the affected software?

The affected software versions include Linux kernel 3.13.0-87.133, 4.2.0-38.45, 4.4.0-24.43, and 4.6~.

4

How can I fix CVE-2016-4581?

To fix CVE-2016-4581, update your Linux kernel to version 4.5.4 or later.

5

Where can I find more information about CVE-2016-4581?

You can find more information about CVE-2016-4581 in the references: [1](https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=5ec0811d30378ae104f250bfc9b3640242d81e3f), [2](https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi/show_bug.cgi?id=1333713), [3](http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2016/q2/313).

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