Description
The key_notify_policy_flush function in net/key/af_key.c in the Linux kernel before 3.9 does not initialize a certain structure member, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information from kernel heap memory by reading a broadcast message from the notify_policy interface of an IPSec key_socket.
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 14 | linux | 3.9.4-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 3.9.4-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 3.9.4-1 | — |
| Debian 7 | linux | 3.2.46-1+deb7u1 | DSA-2745-1 |
| Debian 6.0 | linux-2.6 | 2.6.32-48squeeze4 | DSA-2766-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 6 | perf +15 | 2.6.32-358.18.1.el6 | RHSA-2013:1173 |
| RHEL 5 | kernel +12 | 2.6.18-348.16.1.el5 | RHSA-2013:1166 |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat OpenStack 3 | perf +9 | 2.6.32-358.118.1.openstack.el6 | RHSA-2013:1195 |
| Red Hat MRG 2 | kernel-rt +11 | 3.6.11.5-rt37.55.el6rt | RHSA-2013:1264 |
Advisories 6
- RHSA-2013:1173 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- DSA-2745-1 linux - several Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-2766-1 linux-2.6 - several Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- RHSA-2013:1264 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel-rt security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- RHSA-2013:1195 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- RHSA-2013:1166 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
References
- USN-1970-1 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2013:1166 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20130703 Re: CVE Request: Earlier AF_KEY in key_notify_policy_flush mailing-list
- USN-1913-1 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SU-2013:1473 vendor-advisory
- USN-1995-1 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2013:1173 vendor-advisory
- DSA-2766 vendor-advisory
- openSUSE-SU-2013:1971 vendor-advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=981220
- USN-1998-1 vendor-advisory
- SUSE-SU-2013:1474 vendor-advisory
- USN-1973-1 vendor-advisory
- USN-1992-1 vendor-advisory
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/85dfb745ee40232876663ae206cba35f24ab2a40
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=85dfb745ee40232876663ae206cba35f24ab2a40
- USN-1993-1 vendor-advisory
- https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/patch-3.9.bz2
- USN-1912-1 vendor-advisory
- USN-1972-1 vendor-advisory