Description
The kernel strncpy function in Linux 2.4 and 2.5 does not %NUL pad the buffer on architectures other than x86, as opposed to the expected behavior of strncpy as implemented in libc, which could lead to information leaks.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 3 | kernel +8 | 2.4.21-15.EL | RHSA-2004:188 |
Advisories 1
- RHSA-2004:188 Red Hat Security Advisory: Updated kernel packages available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 Update 2 Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
References
- RHSA-2004:188 vendor-advisory
- http://marc.info/?l=linux-kernel&m=105796415223490&w=2
- http://marc.info/?l=linux-kernel&m=105796021120436&w=2
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10285 vdb-entry signature