Description
The walk_hugetlb_range function in mm/pagewalk.c in the Linux kernel before 4.14.2 mishandles holes in hugetlb ranges, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information from uninitialized kernel memory via crafted use of the mincore() system 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 | 4.14.2-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 4.14.2-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 4.14.2-1 | — |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | linux-raspi-realtime | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | linux-riscv +2 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | linux-gke +3 | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux | 4.4.0-119.143 | USN-3619-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-aws | 4.4.0-1054.63 | USN-3619-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-azure | 4.13.0-1014.17 | USN-3632-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 4.13.0-1012.16 | USN-3617-2 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe | 4.13.0-41.46~16.04.1 | USN-3617-2 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-kvm | 4.4.0-1020.25 | USN-3619-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-oem | 4.13.0-1022.24 | USN-3617-2 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-raspi2 | 4.4.0-1086.94 | USN-3619-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-snapdragon | 4.4.0-1088.93 | USN-3619-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-aws | 4.4.0-1016.16 | USN-3619-2 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | linux-lts-xenial | 4.4.0-119.143~14.04.1 | USN-3619-2 |
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu Pro FIPS-updates 16.04 LTS | linux-fips | 4.4.0-1006.6 | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 7 | perf +15 | 4.11.0-44.6.1.el7a | RHSA-2018:0502 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP3 | kernel-docs +4 | 4.4.103-6.33.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:3398-1 |
| SLES 12 SP2 | kernel-docs +4 | 4.4.103-92.53.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:3410-1 |
Show 5 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 12 SP3 | kernel-syms +2 | 4.4.103-6.33.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:3398-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | kernel-syms +2 | 4.4.103-92.53.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:3410-1 |
| SLE Real Time 12 SP2 | kernel-rt +3 | 4.4.104-24.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:0213-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 12 SP3 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP3_Update_6 | 1-4.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:3398-1 |
| SLE Live Patching 12 | kgraft-patch-SLE12-SP2_Update_16 | 1-3.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2017:3410-1 |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 7 | kernel-uek +5 | 4.1.12-124.15.1.el7uek | ELSA-2018-4108 |
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.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 3
- Linux Kernel 4.13 (Debian 9) - Local Privilege Escalation EDB-44303 · local · Dec 11, 2017
- Linux Kernel - 'mincore()' Heap Page Disclosure (PoC) EDB-44304 · dos · Dec 11, 2017
- Linux Kernel - 'mincore()' Uninitialized Kernel Heap Page Disclosure EDB-43178 · dos · Nov 24, 2017 · verified
GitHub 1 repository
-
jedai47/CVE-2017-16994 ★ 0 · Apr 7, 2023
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 9
- RHSA-2018:0502 Red Hat Security Advisory: kernel-alt security and bug fix update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 29, 2026
- USN-3619-1 linux, linux-aws, linux-kvm, linux-raspi2, linux-snapdragon vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- USN-3632-1 linux-azure vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- USN-3619-2 linux-lts-xenial, linux-aws vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- USN-3617-2 linux-hwe, linux-gcp, linux-oem vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:3410-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2018:0213-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2017:3398-1 Security update for the Linux Kernel SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- ELSA-2018-4108 Important: Unbreakable Enterprise kernel security update (Oracle Linux 7) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · May 15, 2018
References
- USN-3617-1 vendor-advisory
- USN-3619-2 vendor-advisory
- https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1431
- USN-3617-3 vendor-advisory
- 43178 exploit
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.14.2
- USN-3632-1 vendor-advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=373c4557d2aa362702c4c2d41288fb1e54990b7c
- RHSA-2018:0502 vendor-advisory
- USN-3617-2 vendor-advisory
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/373c4557d2aa362702c4c2d41288fb1e54990b7c
- USN-3619-1 vendor-advisory
- 101969 vdb-entry