High technical severity; prioritise exposed affected systems while verifying vendor guidance.
Patch availableWhat, why and how
The key_replace_session_keyring function in security/keys/process_keys.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39.1 does not initialize a certain structure member, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and OOPS) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a KEYCTL_SESSION_TO_PARENT argument to the keyctl function, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-2960.
The key_replace_session_keyring function in security/keys/process_keys.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39.1 does not initialize a certain structure member, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and OOPS) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a KEYCTL_SESSION_TO_PARENT argument to the keyctl function, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-2960.
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.
An attacker operating through the affected interface may attempt exploitation when the stated preconditions are met. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
What
The key_replace_session_keyring function in security/keys/process_keys.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39.1 does not initialize a certain structure member, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and OOPS) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a KEYCTL_SESSION_TO_PARENT argument to the keyctl function, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-2960.
Why
The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.
How
An attacker operating through the affected interface may attempt exploitation when the stated preconditions are met. If successful, the issue may disrupt the affected service.
Exploit reality and attack path
CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No CISA KEV match was present at the last successful refresh. This means no confirmation from that source, not proof of no exploitation.
?
Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.
- Likely attack path
- the affected interface → NULL Pointer Dereference → disrupt the affected service
- Attack surface
- Unspecified
- Privileges required
- None: unauthenticated exploitation is possible
- User interaction
- Not stated in the selected CVSS metric
- Attack complexity
- Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
- Security boundary
- Not stated in the selected CVSS metric
- Weakness
?
CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness. - CWE-476 ↗
CWE-476: NULL Pointer Dereference. The product dereferences a pointer that it expects to be valid but is NULL.
- CVSS vector
?
CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity. AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C- Post-exploitation / living off the land
- No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
Patch and workaround
Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.
- Status
?
Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change. - Patch available
- Affected
- n/a: n/a
- Action
- Review the linked authoritative reference and apply the recorded fixed release appropriate to the affected product branch.
- Workaround
- No verified workaround is recorded. Limit untrusted access and use least privilege until authoritative guidance is available.
Evidence and provenance
Published 6 Sept 2011 · Last source change 6 Aug 2024, 22:53 UTC · CWE-476 · NULL Pointer Dereference
?
The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.
What changed after publication
- Vendor guidanceAuthoritative vendor guidance changed from no authoritative guidance recorded to authoritative remediation link · patch.af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 ↗
- Before
- no authoritative guidance recorded
- After
- authoritative remediation link · patch
- Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.CNA ↗
- Before
- n/a: n/a · Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
- After
- n/a: n/a · Fixed: An authoritative update reference is available, but the fixed version is not recorded in the structured CVE fields. Check the linked vendor advisory for the applicable release.
- Remediation statusRemediation status changed from Awaiting fix to Patch available.af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 ↗
- Before
- Awaiting fix
- After
- Patch available
- SeveritySeverity changed from Unknown to High.NIST NVD ↗
- Before
- Unknown
- After
- High
- CVSS scoreCVSS score changed from not recorded to 7.2 (CVSS 2.0 · NIST NVD · AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C).NIST NVD ↗
- Before
- not recorded
- After
- 7.2 (CVSS 2.0 · NIST NVD · AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C)
- Catalogue recordCVE added to the BlackTree catalogue.CNA ↗
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
- CVE
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
- CVSS
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
- EPSS
- Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
- CWE
- Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
- CNA
- CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
- CISA ADP
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
- NVD
- National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
- CERT / CSIRT
- A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
- PoC
- Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
- CSAF
- Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
- LoTL
- Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.