Description
The check_alu_op function in kernel/bpf/verifier.c in the Linux kernel through 4.4 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact by leveraging incorrect sign extension.
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 | 4.14.7-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | linux | 4.14.7-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | linux | 4.14.7-1 | — |
| Debian 9 | linux | 4.9.65-3+deb9u1 | DSA-4073-1 |
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 | 4.13.0-1005.7 | USN-3523-2 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-euclid | 4.4.0-9026.28 | USN-3633-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-gcp | 4.13.0-1006.9 | USN-3523-2 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-hwe | 4.13.0-32.35~16.04.1 | USN-3523-2 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-kvm | 4.4.0-1020.25 | USN-3619-1 |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | linux-oem | 4.13.0-1015.16 | USN-3523-2 |
| 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 | 4.4.0-1008.10 | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | kernel-source | 5.14.6-1.4 | openSUSE-SU-2024:13704-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:10728-1 |
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.
Metasploit 1 module
-
Linux BPF Sign Extension Local Privilege Escalation
exploit/linux/local/bpf_sign_extension_priv_esc
Exploit-DB 3
- Linux - BPF Sign Extension Local Privilege Escalation (Metasploit) EDB-45058 · local · Jul 19, 2018 · verified
- Linux Kernel < 4.13.9 (Ubuntu 16.04 / Fedora 27) - Local Privilege Escalation EDB-45010 · local · Jul 10, 2018 · verified
- Linux Kernel < 4.4.0-116 (Ubuntu 16.04.4) - Local Privilege Escalation EDB-44298 · local · Mar 16, 2018
GitHub 15 repositories · most starred shown
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Al1ex/CVE-2017-16995 ★ 14 · Apr 26, 2018
CVE-2017-16995（Ubuntu本地提权漏洞）
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ph4ntonn/CVE-2017-16995 ★ 2 · Jan 28, 2021
👻CVE-2017-16995
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littlebin404/CVE-2017-16995 ★ 1 · Aug 14, 2019
CVE-2017-16995 ubuntun本地提权 POC
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vnik5287/CVE-2017-16995 ★ 1 · Jul 23, 2019
CVE-2017-16995 eBPF PoC for Ubuntu 16.04
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senyuuri/cve-2017-16995 ★ 1 · Jan 22, 2019
Writeup for CVE-2017-16995 Linux BPF Local Privilege Escalation
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gugronnier/CVE-2017-16995 ★ 1 · Oct 18, 2018
Exploit adapted for a specific PoC on Ubuntu 16.04.01
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fei9747/CVE-2017-16995 ★ 0 · Nov 29, 2022
-
ivilpez/cve-2017-16995.c ★ 0 · Nov 12, 2022
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C0dak/CVE-2017-16995 ★ 0 · Mar 19, 2018
Linux Kernel Version 4.14 - 4.4 (Ubuntu && Debian)
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 7
- USN-3523-2 linux-hwe, linux-azure, linux-gcp, linux-oem vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · May 29, 2026
- USN-3619-1 linux, linux-aws, linux-kvm, linux-raspi2, linux-snapdragon vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- DSA-4073-1 linux - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- USN-3633-1 linux-euclid vulnerability Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- USN-3619-2 linux-lts-xenial, linux-aws vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:13704-1 kernel-devel-longterm-6.6.17-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10728-1 kernel-devel-5.14.6-1.4 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- 45058 exploit
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/95a762e2c8c942780948091f8f2a4f32fce1ac6f
- USN-3619-2 vendor-advisory
- https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1454
- USN-3633-1 vendor-advisory
- 102288 vdb-entry
- 44298 exploit
- 45010 exploit
- DSA-4073 vendor-advisory
- USN-3523-2 vendor-advisory
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/12/21/2
- USN-3619-1 vendor-advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=95a762e2c8c942780948091f8f2a4f32fce1ac6f
- https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip.git/commit/?id=a6132276ab5dcc38b3299082efeb25b948263adb