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MEDIUM · CVSS 5.5 CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability

CVE-2014-0196

Linux Kernel Race Condition Vulnerability

Linux Kernel

The n_tty_write function in drivers/tty/n_tty.c in the Linux kernel through 3.14.3 does not properly manage tty driver access in the "LECHO & !OPOST" case, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and system crash) or gain privileges by triggering a race condition involving read and write operations with long strings.

CVSS
5.5
MEDIUM
EPSS
20.3%
30-day exploitation
Ransomware groups
0
recorded exploiting
Published
7 May 2014
CWE-362

Exploitation status

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Listed by CISA on 12 May 2023. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 2 June 2023.

EPSS — exploitation probability

FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 20.3%, which is higher than 97.5% of all scored vulnerabilities. EPSS is a forecast of activity, not a measure of severity, and it is rescored daily.

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Frequently asked questions

Is CVE-2014-0196 being exploited by ransomware groups?

No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2014-0196.

What does CVE-2014-0196 affect?

CVE-2014-0196 affects Linux Kernel. The n_tty_write function in drivers/tty/n_tty.c in the Linux kernel through 3.14.3 does not properly manage tty driver access in the "LECHO & !OPOST" case, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and system crash) or gain privileges by triggering a race condition involving read and write operations with long strings.

How severe is CVE-2014-0196?

CVE-2014-0196 is rated MEDIUM with a CVSS base score of 5.5. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 20.3%, higher than 97.5% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 2 June 2023.

How should organisations respond to CVE-2014-0196?

Apply the vendor patch for Linux Kernel as the first priority, and treat any internet-facing instance as the most urgent. Because this vulnerability is associated with ransomware activity, also review whether the affected systems were reachable before patching, rather than assuming that patching alone closes the incident.