CVE-2016-7914
The assoc_array_insert_into_terminal_node function in lib/assoc_array.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.3 does not check whether a slot is a leaf, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information from kernel memory or cause a denial of service…
Does this matter?
Lower severity and a low EPSS score (2.03%). Track it; it rarely justifies an emergency change on its own.
Description
The assoc_array_insert_into_terminal_node function in lib/assoc_array.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.3 does not check whether a slot is a leaf, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information from kernel memory or cause a denial of service (invalid pointer dereference and out-of-bounds read) via an application that uses associative-array data structures, as demonstrated by the keyutils test suite.
- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 MEDIUMCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
- EPSS
- 2.03% probability · 81th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-125, CWE-476
- Affected
- linux/linux kernel
- Source
- security@android.com
EPSS 2.0% since 27 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=8d4a2ec1e0b41b0cf9a0c5cd4511da7f8e4f3de2Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2574.html
- http://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-11-01.htmlThird Party Advisory
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.3Release Notes
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94138Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8d4a2ec1e0b41b0cf9a0c5cd4511da7f8e4f3de2Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=8d4a2ec1e0b41b0cf9a0c5cd4511da7f8e4f3de2Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2574.html
- http://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-11-01.htmlThird Party Advisory
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.3Release Notes
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94138Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8d4a2ec1e0b41b0cf9a0c5cd4511da7f8e4f3de2Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.