Description
net/core/ethtool.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.36 does not initialize certain data structures, which allows local users to obtain potentially sensitive information from kernel heap memory by leveraging the CAP_NET_ADMIN capability for an ethtool 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 +13 | 2.6.32-71.24.1.el6 | RHSA-2011:0421 |
| RHEL 5 | kernel +12 | 2.6.18-238.5.1.el5 | RHSA-2011:0303 |
| RHEL 4 | kernel +10 | 2.6.9-100.EL | RHSA-2011:0263 |
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-rt29.55.el5rt | RHSA-2011:0330 |
Advisories 5
- RHSA-2011:0421 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 28, 2026
- RHSA-2011:0263 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.9 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
- RHSA-2011:0330 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel-rt security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jan 14, 2026
- RHSA-2011:0303 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
References
- USN-1146-1 vendor-advisory
- 45972 vdb-entry
- [oss-security] 20110124 CVE request: linux kernel heap issues mailing-list
- 20111013 VMSA-2011-0012 VMware ESXi and ESX updates to third party libraries and ESX Service Console mailing-list
- 46397 third-party-advisory
- [oss-security] 20110125 Re: CVE request: linux kernel heap issues mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20110124 Re: CVE request: linux kernel heap issues mailing-list
- http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0012.html
- [oss-security] 20110125 Re: CVE request: linux kernel heap issues mailing-list
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=b00916b189d13a615ff05c9242201135992fcda3
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.36
- [oss-security] 20110128 Re: CVE request: linux kernel heap issues mailing-list
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=672428
- [linux-kernel] 20101007 [PATCH] net: clear heap allocations for privileged ethtool actions mailing-list