Linux Kernel Race Condition Vulnerability
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…
Severity = CVSS. Probability = EPSS (FIRST). Exploitation = public signals: KEV, EUVD, ransomware, EPSS above 10 %, no account required.
Exploitation probability EPSS · FIRST
Exploitation signals 3 / 5
- KEV catalog (CISA)03 Mar 2022
- Exploited in EUVD (ENISA)03 Mar 2022
- Used by ransomwareno
- EPSS above 10 %83.5%
- No account, over the networkno
What to do
Fix
Update to a fixed version: 4.7.8-1
CISA guidance: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Meanwhile
Take the service off the internet or restrict access to it, watch the logs and look for signs of compromise.
Manufacturers (CRA)
Exploited vulnerability in your product: early warning to ENISA within 24 h, then notification within 72 h (Article 14 of the Cyber Resilience Act). The CRA explained
Description ENISA EUVD
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."
Affected products
Open source packages OSV
- linuxDebian:12 · CVE-2016-5195fixed in 4.7.8-1
- linuxDebian:13 · CVE-2016-5195fixed in 4.7.8-1
Timeline
-
Published
-
Exploitation reported (ENISA)
-
Added to the KEV catalog
-
CISA remediation due date
-
EPSS peak: 83.5%
References
- cve.org · CVE-2016-5195
- ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2016-6146
- CISA KEV
- FIRST EPSS
- rhn.redhat.com
- exploit-db.com
- access.redhat.com
- bto.bluecoat.com
- h20566.www2.hpe.com
- oracle.com
- exploit-db.com
- dirtycow.ninja
- exploit-db.com
- rhn.redhat.com
- rhn.redhat.com
- source.android.com
- rhn.redhat.com
- openwall.com
- rhn.redhat.com
- rhn.redhat.com
Other exploited vulnerabilities from the same vendor
- CVE-2026-46300Linux Kernel Missing Initialization of a Variable Vulnerability5.4 · Rising fast
- CVE-2026-53266Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability4.7 · Actively exploited
- CVE-2025-39964Linux Kernel Race Condition Vulnerability4.4 · Actively exploited
- CVE-2025-39682Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions Vulnerability5.8 · Actively exploited
- CVE-2026-53362Linux Kernel Unspecified Vulnerability4.3 · Actively exploited
- CVE-2022-0995Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability4.6 · Actively exploited