Description
The generic_file_splice_write function in fs/splice.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.19 does not properly strip setuid and setgid bits when there is a write to a file, which allows local users to gain the privileges of a different group, and obtain sensitive information or possibly have unspecified other impact, by splicing into an inode in order to create an executable file in a setgid directory, a different vulnerability than CVE-2008-4210.
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.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 4.0 | fai-kernels | 1.17+etch.22etch3 | DSA-1653-1 |
| Debian 4.0 | linux-2.6 | 2.6.18.dfsg.1-22etch3 | DSA-1653-1 |
| Debian 4.0 | user-mode-linux | 2.6.18-1um-2etch.22etch3 | DSA-1653-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 5 | kernel +12 | 2.6.18-92.1.18.el5 | RHSA-2008:0957 |
Advisories 2
- RHSA-2008:0957 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 28, 2026
- DSA-1653-1 fai-kernels linux-2.6 user-mode-linux - several vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- 32485 third-party-advisory
- 32237 third-party-advisory
- [oss-security] 20081003 CVE-2008-3833 kernel: remove SUID when splicing into an inode mailing-list
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=464450
- RHSA-2008:0957 vendor-advisory
- kernel-genericfilesplice-priv-escalation(45922) vdb-entry
- DSA-1653 vendor-advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/stable/linux-2.6.19.y.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=8c34e2d63231d4bf4852bac8521883944d770fe3
- 32759 third-party-advisory
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:9980 vdb-entry signature
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/testing/v2.6.19/ChangeLog-2.6.19-rc3
- SUSE-SR:2008:025 vendor-advisory
- 31567 vdb-entry