CVE-2016-9178: Infoleak
An information leak was found in the Linux kernel. The getuserasmex macro in arch/x86/include/asm/uaccess.h in the Linux kernel before 4.7.5 does not initialize a certain integer variable, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information from kernel stack memory by triggering failure of a getuserex call.
References:
http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2016/q4/320
Upstream patch:
https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=1c109fabbd51863475cd12ac206bdd249aee35af
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2016-9178?
The severity of CVE-2016-9178 is low.
What is the affected software for CVE-2016-9178?
The affected software for CVE-2016-9178 includes Linux kernel versions before 4.7.5.
How can a local user exploit CVE-2016-9178?
A local user can exploit CVE-2016-9178 by triggering failure of a get_user_ex call to obtain sensitive information from kernel stack memory.
Are there any remedies available for CVE-2016-9178?
Yes, there are remedies available for CVE-2016-9178. It is recommended to upgrade to Linux kernel version 4.7.5 or higher.
Where can I find more information about CVE-2016-9178?
You can find more information about CVE-2016-9178 at the following references: http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/11/04/4, http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=1c109fabbd51863475cd12ac206bdd249aee35af, http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.7.5