Double free vulnerability in the inotify subsystem in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39…
Priority LOW 23CWE-399Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- — Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
- Attack complexity
- Medium
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · Complete
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 1 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-399 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
Double free vulnerability in the inotify subsystem in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39 allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) via vectors involving failed attempts to create files. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incorrect fix for CVE-2010-4250.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00803 56th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Partial Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 1 fixed, 2 without a fix
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 17
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | up to 2.6.38.8 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 rc6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 rc7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc8:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38 rc8 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 2.6.38.8 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc6:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 rc6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc7:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 rc7 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38:rc8:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38 rc8 Vulnerable ·Linux
Show 7 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38.1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38.2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38.3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38.4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38.5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38.6 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.6.38.7 | Vulnerable | Linux |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38.1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38.2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38.3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38.4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38.5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38.6 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:2.6.38.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.6.38.7 Vulnerable ·Linux
Remediation
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2011:1253 Released 2011-09-12 · Red Hat rating Importantkernel-rt security and bug fix update
- Red Hat MRG Realtime for RHEL 6 Server v.2 kernel-rt-2.6.33.9-rt31.75.el6rt, kernel-rt-debug-2.6.33.9-rt31.75.el6rt, kernel-rt-debug-devel-2.6.33.9-rt31.75.el6rt +7
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 1 | Affected | No fix yet |
| Red Hat MRG Realtime for RHEL 6 Server v.2 | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1253 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2011-1479
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-54wm-cw9m-9pfm
References
Other 4
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
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- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2011-1479 · CVE Program
- CVE-2011-1479 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-54wm-cw9m-9pfm · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2011-1479 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences