Description
The Linux kernel 2.6.24 and 2.6.25 before 2.6.25.9 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a large number of calls to the get_user_pages function, which lacks a ZERO_PAGE optimization and results in allocation of "useless newly zeroed pages."
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 5 | kernel +12 | 2.6.18-92.1.18.el5 | RHSA-2008:0957 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat MRG 1 | kernel-rt +9 | 2.6.24.7-74.el5rt | RHSA-2008:0585 |
Advisories 2
- RHSA-2008:0957 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 28, 2026
- RHSA-2008:0585 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 28, 2026
References
- http://wiki.rpath.com/wiki/Advisories:rPSA-2008-0207
- 32485 third-party-advisory
- SUSE-SA:2008:038 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SA:2008:035 vendor-advisory
- 32393 third-party-advisory
- [linux-kernel] 20080430 Re: Page Faults slower in 2.6.25-rc9 than 2.6.23 mailing-list
- RHSA-2008:0957 vendor-advisory
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:9383 vdb-entry signature
- 30982 third-party-advisory
- USN-659-1 vendor-advisory
- 30901 third-party-advisory
- http://new-ubuntu-news.blogspot.com/2008/06/re-pending-stable-kernel-security_25.html
- RHSA-2008:0585 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SA:2008:037 vendor-advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=89f5b7da2a6bad2e84670422ab8192382a5aeb9f
- http://kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.25.9
- https://issues.rpath.com/browse/RPL-2629
- 31628 third-party-advisory
- 31202 third-party-advisory
- linux-kernel-getuserpages-dos(43550) vdb-entry