Description
The ethtool_get_rxnfc function in net/core/ethtool.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.36 does not initialize a certain block of heap memory, which allows local users to obtain potentially sensitive information via an ETHTOOL_GRXCLSRLALL ethtool command with a large info.rule_cnt value, a different vulnerability than CVE-2010-2478.
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 6 | perf +14 | 2.6.32-71.14.1.el6 | RHSA-2011:0007 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat MRG 1 | perf +10 | 2.6.33.7-rt29.47.el5rt | RHSA-2010:0958 |
Advisories 2
- RHSA-2011:0007 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 28, 2026
- RHSA-2010:0958 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel-rt security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 28, 2026
References
- SUSE-SA:2011:004 vendor-advisory
- 42778 third-party-advisory
- [oss-security] 20101025 CVE request: kernel: heap contents leak from ETHTOOL_GRXCLSRLALL mailing-list
- 42801 third-party-advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=646725
- SUSE-SA:2011:002 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SA:2011:001 vendor-advisory
- 42932 third-party-advisory
- USN-1041-1 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2011:0007 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20101026 Re: CVE request: kernel: heap contents leak from ETHTOOL_GRXCLSRLALL mailing-list
- ADV-2011-0124 vdb-entry
- SUSE-SA:2011:007 vendor-advisory
- ADV-2011-0298 vdb-entry
- RHSA-2010:0958 vendor-advisory
- 42758 third-party-advisory
- 42890 third-party-advisory
- ADV-2011-0012 vdb-entry
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.36
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=ae6df5f96a51818d6376da5307d773baeece4014
- ADV-2011-0070 vdb-entry
- 44427 vdb-entry