CVE-2016-5195
Linux Kernel Race Condition Vulnerability
Linux Kernel
Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect handling of a copy-on-write (COW) feature to write to a read-only memory mapping, as exploited in the wild in October 2016, aka "Dirty COW."
Exploitation status
CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
Listed by CISA on 3 March 2022. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 24 March 2022.
EPSS — exploitation probability
FIRST puts the probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days at 83.5%, which is higher than 99.7% 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:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Frequently asked questions
Is CVE-2016-5195 being exploited by ransomware groups?
No ransomware group in this database is currently recorded as exploiting CVE-2016-5195.
What does CVE-2016-5195 affect?
CVE-2016-5195 affects Linux Kernel. Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect handling of a copy-on-write (COW) feature to write to a read-only memory mapping, as exploited in the wild in October 2016, aka "Dirty COW."
How severe is CVE-2016-5195?
CVE-2016-5195 is rated HIGH with a CVSS base score of 7. EPSS puts the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days at 83.5%, higher than 99.7% of all scored vulnerabilities. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, with a federal remediation deadline of 24 March 2022.
How should organisations respond to CVE-2016-5195?
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.