kernel: nl80211: missing check for valid SSID size in scan operations
Published May 24, 2012
7.2
HIGHCVSS 2.0
EPSS 0.38%
Description
Multiple buffer overflows in net/wireless/nl80211.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39.2 allow local users to gain privileges by leveraging the CAP_NET_ADMIN capability during scan operations with a long SSID value.
Affected products
No data.
Configuration 1
- < 2.6.39.2
Configuration 2
- 5.0
- 5.0
- 5.0
- 5.0
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel-0:2.6.18-274.3.1.el5
Fixed · RHSA-2011:1212
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.6 EUS - Server Only
kernel-0:2.6.18-238.31.1.el5
Fixed · RHSA-2011:1813
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel-0:2.6.32-131.12.1.el6
Fixed · RHSA-2011:1189
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
kernel-rt-0:2.6.33.9-rt31.75.el6rt
Fixed · RHSA-2011:1253
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
kernel
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kernel-0:2.6.18-274.3.1.el5 | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1212 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.6 EUS - Server Only | kernel-0:2.6.18-238.31.1.el5 | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1813 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel-0:2.6.32-131.12.1.el6 | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1189 |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | kernel-rt-0:2.6.33.9-rt31.75.el6rt | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1253 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
This issue did not affect the versions of Linux kernel as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 as it did not provide support for the Linux wireless LAN (802.11) configuration API. This has been addressed in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, 6 and Red Hat Enterprise MRG via https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-1212.html, https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-1189.html, and https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-1253.html.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (11 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.38% (0.00377) | 29.27th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.38% (0.00377) | 29.27th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.05% (0.00053) | 13.56th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.09th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.67th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.03% (0.01034) | 41.69th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 13, 2023 | 1.03% (0.01034) | 41.16th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2023 | 1.28% (0.01282) | 67.60th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 10, 2022 | 1.03% (0.01034) | 39.91th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.03% (0.01034) | 37.91th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.03% (0.01034) | 20.32th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (9)
- http://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.39.2 x_refsource_CONFIRMBroken Link
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=208c72f4fe44fe09577e7975ba0e7fa0278f3d03 x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-1212.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/07/01/4 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2011-2517 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=718152 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/208c72f4fe44fe09577e7975ba0e7fa0278f3d03 x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-2517
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-2517
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.39.2 | x_refsource_CONFIRMBroken Link | |
| http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=208c72f4fe44fe09577e7975ba0e7fa0278f3d03 | x_refsource_CONFIRM | |
| http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-1212.html | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory | |
| http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/07/01/4 | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2011-2517 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=718152 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory | |
| https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/208c72f4fe44fe09577e7975ba0e7fa0278f3d03 | x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-2517 | ||
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-2517 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.