Linux Kernel up to 4.2.3 Kernel Memory Subsystem Dirty COW race condition

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.2$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability marked as critical has been reported in Linux Kernel up to 4.2.3. This affects an unknown function of the component Kernel Memory Subsystem. This manipulation causes race condition (Dirty COW). This vulnerability appears as CVE-2016-5195. The attack requires local access. In addition, an exploit is available. This vulnerability is historically significant due to its background and the way it was received. It is suggested to upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability was found in Linux Kernel up to 4.2.3 (Operating System). It has been declared as critical. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown code of the component Kernel Memory Subsystem. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a race condition vulnerability (Dirty COW). The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-362. The product contains a code sequence that can run concurrently with other code, and the code sequence requires temporary, exclusive access to a shared resource, but a timing window exists in which the shared resource can be modified by another code sequence that is operating concurrently. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The bug was discovered 10/20/2016. The weakness was presented 10/20/2016 by Phil Oester as [cve-2016-5195] "dirty cow" linux privilege escalation vulnerability as confirmed mailinglist post (Bugtraq). The advisory is shared at seclists.org. The public release was coordinated in cooperation with Linux. This vulnerability is known as CVE-2016-5195 since 05/31/2016. An attack has to be approached locally. A single authentication is needed for exploitation. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available. The price for an exploit might be around USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 01/29/2025). Due to its background and reception, this vulnerability has a historic impact.

A public exploit has been developed in ANSI C. It is possible to download the exploit at securityfocus.com. It is declared as attacked. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 3295 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 94144 (Debian DLA-670-1 : linux security update (Dirty COW)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Debian Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 157314 (Oracle Enterprise Linux Security Update for kernel (ELSA-2016-2574)-Deprecated). The CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog lists this issue since 03/03/2022 with a due date of 03/24/2022:

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Upgrading to version 4.4.26, 4.7.9 or 4.8.3 eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published before and not just after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at Exploit-DB (40611), Zero-Day.cz (151), Tenable (94144), SecurityFocus (BID 93793†) and SecurityTracker (ID 1037078†). Additional details are provided at access.redhat.com. If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.

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CPE 2.3info

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CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 7.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.2

VulDB Base Score: 7.8
VulDB Temp Score: 7.5
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

NVD Base Score: 7.0
NVD Vector: 🔍

CNA Base Score: 7.0
CNA Vector: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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Exploitinginfo

Name: Dirty COW
Class: Race condition / Dirty COW
CWE: CWE-362
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Attacked
Programming Language: 🔍
Download: 🔍

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KEV Ransomware: 🔍
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Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 94144
Nessus Name: Debian DLA-670-1 : linux security update (Dirty COW)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 900924
OpenVAS Name: SuSE Update for Kernel openSUSE-SU-2016:2584-1 (Kernel)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Saint ID: linux_dirty_cow_local_file_overwrite
Saint Name: Linux Dirty COW Local File Overwrite

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍
Zero-Day.cz: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

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Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Upgrade: Kernel 4.4.26/4.7.9/4.8.3
Patch: git.kernel.org

Timelineinfo

10/12/2007 🔍
05/31/2016 +3154 days 🔍
10/19/2016 +141 days 🔍
10/19/2016 +0 days 🔍
10/20/2016 +1 days 🔍
10/20/2016 +0 days 🔍
10/20/2016 +0 days 🔍
10/20/2016 +0 days 🔍
10/22/2016 +2 days 🔍
11/10/2016 +19 days 🔍
01/29/2025 +3002 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: kernel.org

Advisory: [cve-2016-5195] "dirty cow" linux privilege escalation vulnerability
Researcher: Phil Oester
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍
Coordinated: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2016-5195 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2016-5195
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-93013

OVAL: 🔍

CERT: 🔍
SecurityFocus: 93793 - Linux Kernel CVE-2016-5195 Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
SecurityTracker: 1037078

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
Misc.: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 10/20/2016 22:03
Updated: 01/29/2025 19:43
Changes: 10/20/2016 22:03 (85), 07/15/2019 16:50 (18), 09/28/2022 09:01 (5), 04/23/2024 12:02 (28), 07/06/2024 23:56 (2), 07/24/2024 16:40 (10), 09/09/2024 22:29 (1), 01/27/2025 06:41 (1), 01/29/2025 19:43 (11)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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