CVE-2013-2094
Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Does this matter?
Known to be exploited in the wild (CISA KEV, CISA remediation deadline 6 October 2022). Treat as an emergency change: patch or isolate now, then hunt for prior compromise.
Description
The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9 uses an incorrect integer data type, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted perf_event_open system call.
- CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 47.71% probability · 99th percentile
- Public exploits
- 3 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 14 May 2013
- CISA KEV
- Listed 15 September 2022 · due 6 October 2022
- Weakness
- CWE-189
- Affected
- linux/linux kernel
- Source
- secalert@redhat.com
EPSS 47.7% since 30 October 2026; no change recorded yet. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
CISA notes
Apply updates per vendor instructions. https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=8176cced706b5e5d15887584150764894e94e02f; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-2094
Public exploits (3)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
| EDB-ID | Title | Type | Published | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDB-33589source ↗ | Linux Kernel 3.2.0-23/3.5.0-23 (Ubuntu 12.04/12.04.1/12.04.2 x64) - 'perf_swevent_init' Local Privilege Escalation (3)linux_x86-64 · Vitaly Nikolenko | local | 31 May 2014 | yes |
| EDB-26131source ↗ | Linux Kernel < 3.8.9 (x86-64) - 'perf_swevent_init' Local Privilege Escalation (2)linux_x86-64 · Andrea Bittau | local | 11 June 2013 | yes |
| EDB-25444source ↗ | Linux Kernel 2.6.32 < 3.x (CentOS 5/6) - 'PERF_EVENTS' Local Privilege Escalation (1)linux · sd | local | 14 May 2013 | no |
References
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=8176cced706b5e5d15887584150764894e94e02fNot Applicable
- http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos-announce/2013-May/019729.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos-announce/2013-May/019733.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2013-05/msg00008.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2013-05/msg00018.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2013-06/msg00005.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2013-06/msg00009.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2013-06/msg00017.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://lkml.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1304.1/03652.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://lkml.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1304.1/03976.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://lkml.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1304.1/04302.htmlThird Party Advisory
- http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5703758Third Party Advisory
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/121616/semtex.cExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2013-0830.htmlThird Party Advisory
- http://twitter.com/djrbliss/statuses/334301992648331267Patch
- http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/33589Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.8.9Not Applicable
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2013:176Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/05/14/6Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.osvdb.org/93361Broken Link
- http://www.reddit.com/r/netsec/comments/1eb9iwThird Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1825-1Third Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1826-1Third Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1827-1Third Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1828-1Third Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1836-1Third Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1838-1Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=962792Issue Tracking
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8176cced706b5e5d15887584150764894e94e02fThird Party Advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=8176cced706b5e5d15887584150764894e94e02fNot Applicable
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.