Advisory Published

USN-2646-1: Linux kernel vulnerability

First published: Mon Jun 15 2015(Updated: )

Philip Pettersson discovered a privilege escalation when using overlayfs mounts inside of user namespaces. A local user could exploit this flaw to gain administrative privileges on the system.

Affected SoftwareAffected VersionHow to fix
All of
ubuntu/linux-image-3.16.0-41-powerpc-smp<3.16.0-41.55
3.16.0-41.55
Ubuntu gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0=14.10
All of
ubuntu/linux-image-3.16.0-41-powerpc64-smp<3.16.0-41.55
3.16.0-41.55
Ubuntu gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0=14.10
All of
ubuntu/linux-image-3.16.0-41-powerpc64-emb<3.16.0-41.55
3.16.0-41.55
Ubuntu gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0=14.10
All of
ubuntu/linux-image-3.16.0-41-powerpc-e500mc<3.16.0-41.55
3.16.0-41.55
Ubuntu gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0=14.10
All of
ubuntu/linux-image-3.16.0-41-generic-lpae<3.16.0-41.55
3.16.0-41.55
Ubuntu gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0=14.10
All of
ubuntu/linux-image-3.16.0-41-lowlatency<3.16.0-41.55
3.16.0-41.55
Ubuntu gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0=14.10
All of
ubuntu/linux-image-3.16.0-41-generic<3.16.0-41.55
3.16.0-41.55
Ubuntu gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0=14.10

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Reference Links

Child vulnerabilities

(Contains the following vulnerabilities)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the severity of USN-2646-1?

    USN-2646-1 is classified as a privilege escalation vulnerability that can allow local users to gain administrative privileges.

  • How do I fix USN-2646-1?

    To fix USN-2646-1, update the affected packages to version 3.16.0-41.55 or newer.

  • What systems are affected by USN-2646-1?

    USN-2646-1 affects Ubuntu 14.10 systems running specific versions of the linux-image packages.

  • Who discovered the USN-2646-1 vulnerability?

    The vulnerability identified in USN-2646-1 was discovered by researcher Philip Pettersson.

  • What impact does USN-2646-1 have if exploited?

    If exploited, USN-2646-1 can allow an attacker to escalate their privileges and potentially take control of the affected system.

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