Description
The ntty_ioctl_tiocgicount function in drivers/char/nozomi.c in the Linux kernel 2.6.36.1 and earlier 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.
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 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Exploit-DB 1
- Linux Kenel 2.6.37-rc1 - serial_core TIOCGICOUNT Leak EDB-16973 · dos · Mar 14, 2011
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
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
- [oss-security] 20100925 CVE request: multiple kernel stack memory disclosures mailing-list
- 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
- 45059 vdb-entry
- RHSA-2011:0007 vendor-advisory
- [linux-kernel] 20100915 [PATCH] drivers/char/nozomi.c: prevent reading uninitialized stackmemory mailing-list
- RHSA-2010:0958 vendor-advisory
- 8129 third-party-advisory
- [oss-security] 20101006 Re: CVE request: multiple kernel stack memory disclosures mailing-list
- 42890 third-party-advisory
- [oss-security] 20101025 Re: CVE request: multiple kernel stack memory disclosures mailing-list
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=648663