TI-2016-01996 Aliases CVE-2016-2186 GHSA-mxvc-vmg9-j3pv

The powermate_probe function in drivers/input/misc/powermate.c in the Linux kernel before…

LOW 23Published 2016-05-02 · Updated 2024-08-05

Key facts

Attack vector: Physical
Privileges required: None
User interaction: None
Attack complexity: Low
Impact type: —
Confidentiality · integrity · availability: None · None · High
Fix status: Will not fix Red Hat: no fix planned

Attack profile from CVSS 3.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

The powermate_probe function in drivers/input/misc/powermate.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.1 allows physically proximate attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and system crash) via a crafted endpoints value in a USB device descriptor.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00796 56th percentileScored 2026-11-07

Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD

Fix Will not fix Red Hat: no fix planned

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 · 18

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel::::::::	up to 4.5.0	Vulnerable	Linux
cpe:2.3:a:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_software_development_kit:11.0:sp4::::::	11.0 sp4	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:a:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_software_development_kit:12.0:::::::*	12.0	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:a:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_software_development_kit:12.0:sp1::::::	12.0 sp1	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_debuginfo:11.0:sp4::::::	11.0 sp4	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_desktop:12.0:::::::*	12.0	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_desktop:12.0:sp1::::::	12.0 sp1	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_live_patching:12.0:::::::*	12.0	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_module_for_public_cloud:12.0:::::::*	12.0	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_real_time_extension:11.0:sp4::::::	11.0 sp4	Vulnerable	Novell

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 4.5.0 Vulnerable ·Linux
cpe:2.3:a:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_software_development_kit:11.0:sp4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 sp4 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:a:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_software_development_kit:12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:a:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_software_development_kit:12.0:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 sp1 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_debuginfo:11.0:sp4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 sp4 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_desktop:12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_desktop:12.0:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 sp1 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_live_patching:12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_module_for_public_cloud:12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_real_time_extension:11.0:sp4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 sp4 Vulnerable ·Novell

Show 8 more CPE

CPE	Versions	Role	Vendor
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_real_time_extension:12.0:sp1::::::	12.0 sp1	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_server:11.0:extra::::::	11.0 extra	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_server:11.0:sp4::::::	11.0 sp4	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_server:12.0:::::::*	12.0	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_server:12.0:sp1::::::	12.0 sp1	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_workstation_extension:12.0:::::::*	12.0	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_workstation_extension:12.0:sp1::::::	12.0 sp1	Vulnerable	Novell
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04::::lts:::	12.04	Vulnerable	Canonical

cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_real_time_extension:12.0:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 sp1 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_server:11.0:extra:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 extra Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_server:11.0:sp4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 sp4 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_server:12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_server:12.0:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 sp1 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_workstation_extension:12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_workstation_extension:12.0:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.0 sp1 Vulnerable ·Novell
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 12.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical

Remediation

No fixed version listed by the sources yet.

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

Product	Status	Plan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5	Affected	No fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6	Affected	No fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7	Affected	No fix planned: Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2	Affected	No fix planned: Will not fix

Timeline

2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2016-2186
2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-mxvc-vmg9-j3pv

References

Exploit 1

20160310 oss-2016-13: Local RedHat Enterprise Linux DoS - RHEL 7.1 Kernel crashes on invalid USB device descriptors (powermate driver)

Other 1

http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.1

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences