Description
The uart_get_count function in drivers/serial/serial_core.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.37-rc1 does not properly initialize a certain structure member, which allows local users to obtain potentially sensitive information from kernel stack memory via a TIOCGICOUNT ioctl call.
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 5.0 | linux-2.6 | 2.6.26-26lenny3 | DSA-2264-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 6 | perf +14 | 2.6.32-71.14.1.el6 | RHSA-2011:0007 |
| RHEL 5 | kernel +12 | 2.6.18-238.el5 | RHSA-2011:0017 |
| RHEL 4 | kernel +10 | 2.6.9-89.35.1.EL | RHSA-2011:0162 |
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 5
- 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
- RHSA-2011:0017 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.6 kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- RHSA-2011:0162 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- DSA-2264-1 linux-2.6 - several issues Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- [oss-security] 20100925 CVE request: multiple kernel stack memory disclosures mailing-list
- 20111013 VMSA-2011-0012 VMware ESXi and ESX updates to third party libraries and ESX Service Console mailing-list
- RHSA-2011:0017 vendor-advisory
- 46397 third-party-advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=d281da7ff6f70efca0553c288bb883e8605b3862
- [oss-security] 20101006 Re: CVE request: multiple kernel stack memory disclosures mailing-list
- RHSA-2011:0007 vendor-advisory
- [linux-kernel] 20100915 [PATCH] drivers/serial/serial_core.c: prevent readinguninitialized stack memory mailing-list
- RHSA-2010:0958 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20101006 Re: CVE request: multiple kernel stack memory disclosures mailing-list
- 42963 third-party-advisory
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/testing/ChangeLog-2.6.37-rc1
- http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0012.html
- 42884 third-party-advisory
- 42890 third-party-advisory
- RHSA-2011:0162 vendor-advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=648660
- ADV-2011-0168 vdb-entry
- [oss-security] 20101025 Re: CVE request: multiple kernel stack memory disclosures mailing-list
- 43806 vdb-entry