CVE-2016-2550
The Linux kernel before 4.5 allows local users to bypass file-descriptor limits and cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging incorrect tracking of descriptor ownership and sending each descriptor over a UNIX socket before closing it.
Does this matter?
Lower severity and a low EPSS score (0.51%). Track it; it rarely justifies an emergency change on its own.
Description
The Linux kernel before 4.5 allows local users to bypass file-descriptor limits and cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by leveraging incorrect tracking of descriptor ownership and sending each descriptor over a UNIX socket before closing it. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incorrect fix for CVE-2013-4312.
- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 MEDIUMCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.51% probability · 43th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-399
- Affected
- linux/linux kernel
- Source
- security@debian.org
EPSS 0.5% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=415e3d3e90ce9e18727e8843ae343eda5a58fad6Vendor Advisory
- http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3503
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/02/23/2
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.html
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2946-1
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2946-2
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2947-1
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2947-2
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2947-3
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2948-1
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2948-2
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2949-1
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1311517
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/415e3d3e90ce9e18727e8843ae343eda5a58fad6Patch, Vendor Advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=415e3d3e90ce9e18727e8843ae343eda5a58fad6Vendor Advisory
- http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3503
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/02/23/2
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujan2018-3236628.html
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2946-1
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2946-2
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2947-1
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2947-2
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2947-3
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2948-1
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2948-2
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2949-1
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1311517
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/415e3d3e90ce9e18727e8843ae343eda5a58fad6Patch, Vendor Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.