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Full vulnerability report · 2019
CVE-2019-13272High confidence

Linux Kernel Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability

Linux · Kernel

7.8HighCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Patch now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-06-10 as the remediation due date.

Patch available
Distribution package intelligence

Ubuntu vendor package status

Canonical’s release and source-package findings are shown separately from local repository availability.

1 package state
Repository candidate not checked

A published vendor fix does not prove that a matching update is enabled and installable on a particular asset. Confirm the local package candidate before scheduling remediation.

Ubuntu releaseSource packageVendor stateFixed versionEvidence
Ubuntu 24.04 LTSnoble · standard archivelinux-raspi-realtimeAffected, no fix publishedCanonical OVAL identifies this running kernel flavour as affected and does not publish a fixed package version in this definition.Not published in this feedCanonical record ↗Source updated 9 Sept 2026
Optional official sources

National CERT insights
?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

Select the national-authority views to include. The exact source language is shown on each matched advisory. Your choice is remembered on this device and encoded in the shareable URL.

Official European source

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.

1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier

EUVD-2019-4779

CISA KEV mirrored by ENISA

In the Linux kernel before 5.1.17, ptrace_link in kernel/ptrace.c mishandles the recording of the credentials of a process that wants to create a ptrace relationship, which allows local users to obtain root access by leveraging certain scenarios with a parent-child process relationship, where a parent drops privileges and calls execve (potentially allowing control by an attacker). One contributing factor is an object lifetime issue (which can also cause a panic). Another contributing factor is incorrect marking of a ptrace relationship as privileged, which is exploitable through (for example) Polkit's pkexec helper with PTRACE_TRACEME. NOTE: SELinux deny_ptrace might be a usable workaround in some environments.

EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Recorded by ENISA since 10 Dec 2021. Evidence sources: cisa_kev.
ENISA score
7.8 · CVSS 3.1
Advisory evidence
20 linked advisory records
Explicit mitigation evidence

Only statements that explicitly mention a fix, patch, update, workaround or mitigation are shown here.

  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3230-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 28 for SLE 12 SP3)
  • csaf_redhat · RHSA-2019:2405Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel-rt security update
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:2984-1Security update for the Linux Kernel
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3232-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 27 for SLE 12 SP2)
  • csaf_redhat · RHSA-2019:2809Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel-alt security, bug fix, and enhancement update
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3223-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 2 for SLE 12 SP4)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3252-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 1 for SLE 12 SP4)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3248-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 0 for SLE 15 SP1)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3258-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 25 for SLE 12 SP3)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3228-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 27 for SLE 12 SP3)
  • csaf_redhat · RHSA-2019:2411Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security update
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3261-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 31 for SLE 12 SP2)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3247-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 9 for SLE 15)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3225-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 4 for SLE 12 SP4)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3260-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 29 for SLE 12 SP2)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3246-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 8 for SLE 15)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:2949-1Security update for the Linux Kernel
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3224-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 3 for SLE 12 SP4)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3263-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 32 for SLE 12 SP2)
  • csaf_suse · SUSE-SU-2019:3249-1Security update for the Linux Kernel (Live Patch 1 for SLE 15 SP1)
Recommended actionPatch now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2022-06-10 as the remediation due date.

Patch available
01

What, why and how

Kernel/ptrace.c in Linux kernel mishandles contains an improper privilege management vulnerability that allows local users to obtain root access.

What

Kernel/ptrace.c in Linux kernel mishandles contains an improper privilege management vulnerability that allows local users to obtain root access.

Why

The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.

How

An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

What

Kernel/ptrace.c in Linux kernel mishandles contains an improper privilege management vulnerability that allows local users to obtain root access.

Why

The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.

How

An attacker operating through local access may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

02

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
Confirmed in the wild

CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 2021-12-10.

Public PoC / exploit material
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
Reference recorded

A structured CVE source labels at least one public reference as exploit material. BlackTree has not independently validated that it is safe, reliable or weaponised.

Likely attack path
local access → Improper Privilege Management → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface
Local
Privileges required
Low: a basic authenticated account is required
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low: no specialised conditions are recorded
Security boundary
Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness
?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-269 ↗

CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management. The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVLocalAttack vector: The attacker needs local access to the vulnerable system.ACLowAttack complexity: No specialised conditions are required beyond attacker-controlled input.PRLowPrivileges required: The attacker needs basic user-level privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
The issue can support a local privilege or sandbox boundary transition; normal system utilities may then be available in the gained context.
CWE-269CISA KEVPublic exploit reference
A

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2019-4779Known-exploited evidence recorded

In the Linux kernel before 5.1.17, ptrace_link in kernel/ptrace.c mishandles the recording of the credentials of a process that wants to create a ptrace relationship, which allows local users to obtain root access by leveraging certain scenarios with a parent-child process relationship, where a parent drops privileges and calls execve (potentially allowing control by an attacker). One contributing factor is an object lifetime issue (which can also cause a panic). Another contributing factor is incorrect marking of a ptrace relationship as privileged, which is exploitable through (for example) Polkit's pkexec helper with PTRACE_TRACEME. NOTE: SELinux deny_ptrace might be a usable workaround in some environments.

Official EUVD record
03

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
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.
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.
04

Evidence and provenance

Published 17 Jul 2019 · Last source change 21 Oct 2025, 23:45 UTC · CWE-269 · Improper Privilege Management

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceNIST NVD
EPSS source
?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.
FIRST · tracked since 2026-09-01
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2019-4779
Product sourceCNA
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCISA KEV
NVD statusNVD enriched

Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates →
  1. ENISA known-exploited stateENISA EUVD now records this CVE in its known-exploited dataset.
    Before
    not recorded
    After
    {"euvdId":"EUVD-2019-4779","listed":true,"sources":["cisa_kev"]}
    ENISA EUVD ↗
  2. ENISA EUVD mappingEUVD-2019-4779 was added to the official ENISA EUVD mapping for this CVE.
    Before
    not recorded
    After
    {"euvdId":"EUVD-2019-4779"}
    ENISA EUVD ↗
  3. Vendor guidanceAuthoritative vendor guidance changed from vendor advisory to authoritative remediation link · patch.
    Before
    vendor advisory
    After
    authoritative remediation link · patch
    af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 ↗
  4. Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
    Before
    n/a · Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
    After
    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.
    CNA ↗
  5. Remediation statusRemediation status changed from Awaiting fix to Patch available.
    Before
    Awaiting fix
    After
    Patch available
    af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 ↗
  6. Public exploit evidencePublic exploit evidence changed from No public exploit to Public exploit reference.
    Before
    No public exploit
    After
    Public exploit reference
    af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108 ↗
  7. CVSS scoreCVSS scoring authority changed from CISA ADP to NIST NVD; the displayed base score remained 7.8.
    Before
    7.8 (CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP · CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)
    After
    7.8 (CVSS 3.1 · NIST NVD · CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)
    NIST NVD ↗
  8. Catalogue recordCVE added to the BlackTree catalogue.
    CNA ↗
Material fields only · duplicate refreshes suppressed · history retained for the configured operational retention period
CVE published
Added to CISA KEV
Fixed release or patch reference recorded
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2019-4779↗CISA KEV record↗Public exploit reference↗Patch or update reference↗Patch or update reference↗Patch or update reference↗CVE authority or vendor reference↗Public exploit reference↗Official CVE record (CNA and ADP data)↗
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.
Free version - for non-commercial use only.CVE-2019-13272 · cve.blacktree.nl