The acm_probe function in drivers/usb/class/cdc-acm.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.1…
Priority LOW 22Published · Updated
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 acm_probe function in drivers/usb/class/cdc-acm.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 USB device without both a control and a data endpoint descriptor.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00546 46th percentileScored 2026-11-07
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:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 12.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| 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:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 4.5.0 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 12.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- 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
Show 8 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_real_time_extension:11.0:sp4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 11.0 sp4 | Vulnerable | Novell |
| 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:novell:suse_linux_enterprise_real_time_extension:11.0:sp4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.0 sp4 Vulnerable ·Novell
- 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
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-2016-3138
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-jr2j-p9f5-vj2x
References
Advisory 17
Other 5
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=8835ba4a39cf53f705417b3b3a94eb067673f2c9
- [oss-security] 20160314 Re: CVE request -- linux kernel: crash on invalid USB device descriptors (cdc_acm driver)
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1316204
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8835ba4a39cf53f705417b3b3a94eb067673f2c9
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.1
Sources
- CVE-2016-3138 · CVE Program
- CVE-2016-3138 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-jr2j-p9f5-vj2x · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2016-3138 · 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