Description
fs/nfs/client.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.23 does not properly initialize a certain structure member that stores the maximum NFS filename length, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (OOPS) via a long filename, related to the encode_lookup function.
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.24etch2 | DSA-1794-1 |
| Debian 4.0 | linux-2.6 | 2.6.18.dfsg.1-24etch2 | DSA-1794-1 |
| Debian 4.0 | user-mode-linux | 2.6.18-1um-2etch.24etch2 | DSA-1794-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 5 | kernel +12 | 2.6.18-128.1.10.el5 | RHSA-2009:0473 |
| RHEL 4 | kernel +10 | 2.6.9-89.EL | RHSA-2009:1024 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 4.7 EUS | kernel +10 | 2.6.9-78.0.24.EL | RHSA-2009:1077 |
Advisories 4
- RHSA-2009:0473 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2009:1077 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2009:1024 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.8 kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- DSA-1794-1 linux-2.6 - multiple vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- 37471 third-party-advisory
- 35160 third-party-advisory
- 35656 third-party-advisory
- http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2009-0016.html
- DSA-1794 vendor-advisory
- 35324 third-party-advisory
- 35015 third-party-advisory
- 35011 third-party-advisory
- 20091120 VMSA-2009-0016 VMware vCenter and ESX update release and vMA patch release address multiple security issue in third party components mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20090406 CVE request: kernel: NFS: Fix an Oops in encode_lookup() mailing-list
- 1022176 vdb-entry
- USN-793-1 vendor-advisory
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.23
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10859 vdb-entry signature
- RHSA-2009:1077 vendor-advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=54af3bb543c071769141387a42deaaab5074da55
- RHSA-2009:1024 vendor-advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=494074
- [oss-security] 20090417 Re: CVE request: kernel: NFS: Fix an Oops in encode_lookup() mailing-list
- RHSA-2009:0473 vendor-advisory
- 34390 vdb-entry
- ADV-2009-3316 vdb-entry
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:8495 vdb-entry signature