Description
Race condition in the environ_read function in fs/proc/base.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.4 allows local users to obtain sensitive information from kernel memory by reading a /proc/*/environ file during a process-setup time interval in which environment-variable copying is incomplete.
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 | 4.5.4-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 4.5.4-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 4.5.4-1 | — |
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 16.04 LTS | linux | 4.4.0-24.43 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-raspi2 | 4.4.0-1012.16 | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-snapdragon | 4.4.0-1015.18 | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux | 3.13.0-106.153 | USN-3160-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-vivid | 3.19.0-78.86~14.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-xenial | 4.4.0-24.43~14.04.1 | — |
| Ubuntu Pro 20.04 LTS | linux-azure-fde-5.15 | No fix yet | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 11 SP4 | kernel-docs | 3.0.101-94.2 | SUSE-SU-2017:0437-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | kernel-ec2 +8 | 3.0.101-94.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0437-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | kernel-ec2 +7 | 3.0.101-0.47.96.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0494-1 |
| SLES 11 SP2 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.7.53.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0333-1 |
Show 6 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | kernel-ec2 +8 | 3.0.101-94.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0437-1 |
| SLE Real Time 11 SP4 | kernel-rt +3 | 3.0.101.rt130-68.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:1102-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 5 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.96.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0494-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 2.1 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.96.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0494-1 |
| SUSE Manager 2.1 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.96.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0494-1 |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | kernel-ec2 +6 | 3.0.101-0.47.96.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:0494-1 |
Advisories 5
- USN-3160-1 linux vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:1102-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0494-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0333-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:0437-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
References
- http://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-11-01.html
- https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=116461
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.4
- USN-3159-1 vendor-advisory
- https://forums.grsecurity.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4363
- USN-3159-2 vendor-advisory
- 94138 vdb-entry
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=8148a73c9901a8794a50f950083c00ccf97d43b3
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8148a73c9901a8794a50f950083c00ccf97d43b3