CVE-2016-5195
Publication date 19 October 2016
Last updated 25 August 2025
Ubuntu priority
Cvss 3 Severity Score
Description
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."
From the Ubuntu Security Team
It was discovered that a race condition existed in the memory manager of the Linux kernel when handling copy-on-write breakage of private read-only memory mappings. A local attacker could use this to gain administrative privileges.
Status
| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
|---|---|---|
| linux-armadaxp | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-aws | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial |
Not affected
|
|
| 14.04 LTS trusty |
Not affected
|
|
| linux-flo | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-gke | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial |
Not affected
|
|
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-goldfish | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-grouper | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-hwe | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial |
Not affected
|
|
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-hwe-edge | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial |
Not affected
|
|
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-linaro-shared | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-linaro-vexpress | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-quantal | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-raring | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-saucy | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-trusty | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-utopic | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-vivid | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty |
Fixed 3.19.0-73.81~14.04.1
|
|
| linux-lts-wily | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-xenial | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty |
Fixed 4.4.0-45.66~14.04.1
|
|
| linux-maguro | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-mako | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-manta | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-qcm-msm | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-raspi2 | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial |
Fixed 4.4.0-1029.36
|
|
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-snapdragon | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial |
Fixed 4.4.0-1032.36
|
|
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial |
Fixed 4.4.0-45.66
|
|
| 14.04 LTS trusty |
Fixed 3.13.0-100.147
|
|
| linux-linaro-omap | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-ti-omap4 | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
Notes
jdstrand
android kernels (flo, goldfish, grouper, maguro, mako and manta) are not supported on the Ubuntu Touch 14.10 and earlier preview kernels linux-lts-saucy no longer receives official support linux-lts-quantal no longer receives official support
Severity score breakdown
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Base score |
|
| Attack vector | Local |
| Attack complexity | High |
| Privileges required | Low |
| User interaction | None |
| Scope | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High |
| Integrity impact | High |
| Availability impact | High |
| Vector | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
References
Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)
- USN-3106-2
- Linux kernel (Xenial HWE) vulnerability
- 20 October 2016
- USN-3106-3
- Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi 2) vulnerability
- 20 October 2016
- USN-3106-1
- Linux kernel vulnerability
- 20 October 2016
- USN-3106-4
- Linux kernel (Qualcomm Snapdragon) vulnerability
- 20 October 2016
- USN-3105-1
- Linux kernel vulnerability
- 20 October 2016
- USN-3105-2
- Linux kernel (Trusty HWE) vulnerability
- 20 October 2016
- USN-3107-1
- Linux kernel vulnerability
- 20 October 2016
- USN-3107-2
- Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi 2) vulnerability
- 24 October 2016
- USN-3104-1
- Linux kernel vulnerability
- 20 October 2016
- USN-3104-2
- Linux kernel (OMAP4) vulnerability
- 20 October 2016