Description
mm/shmem.c in the Linux kernel through 3.15.1 does not properly implement the interaction between range notification and hole punching, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (i_mutex hold) by using the mmap system call to access a hole, as demonstrated by interfering with intended shmem activity by blocking completion of (1) an MADV_REMOVE madvise call or (2) an FALLOC_FL_PUNCH_HOLE fallocate 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 14 | linux | 3.14.15-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 3.14.15-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 3.14.15-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-riscv +6 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +4 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | linux-gcp +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux | 3.13.0-35.62 | USN-2337-1 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.15 | No fix yet | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | perf +17 | 3.10.0-123.20.1.el7 | RHSA-2015:0102 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat MRG 2 | kernel-rt +10 | 3.10.33-rt32.51.el6rt | RHSA-2014:1318 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 7 | dtrace-modules-3.8.13-55.el6uek | 0.4.3-4.el6 | ELSA-2014-3096 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | dtrace-modules-3.8.13-55.el7uek | 0.4.3-4.el7 | ELSA-2014-3096 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | kernel-uek +5 | 3.8.13-55.el7uek | ELSA-2014-3096 |
| Oracle Linux 7 | perf +11 | 3.10.0-123.20.1.el7 | ELSA-2015-0102 |
Advisories 5
- RHSA-2015:0102 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- USN-2337-1 linux vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- RHSA-2014:1318 Red Hat Security Advisory: Red Hat Enterprise MRG Realtime 2.5 security and enhancement update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- ELSA-2015-0102 Important: kernel security and bug fix update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Jan 28, 2015
- ELSA-2014-3096 Important: Unbreakable Enterprise kernel security update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Dec 4, 2014
References
- [mm-commits] 20140617 + shmem-fix-faulting-into-a-hole-while-its-punched.patch added to -mm tree mailing-list
- RHSA-2014:1318 vendor-advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1111180
- 68157 vdb-entry
- SUSE-SU-2014:1316 vendor-advisory
- USN-2335-1 vendor-advisory
- USN-2334-1 vendor-advisory
- http://ozlabs.org/~akpm/mmots/broken-out/shmem-fix-faulting-into-a-hole-while-its-punched.patch
- SUSE-SU-2014:1319 vendor-advisory
- 60564 third-party-advisory
- 59777 third-party-advisory
- 1030450 vdb-entry
- [oss-security] 20140618 CVE-2014-4171 - Linux kernel mm/shmem.c denial of service mailing-list
- RHSA-2015:0102 vendor-advisory