kernel: perf, x86: fix Intel fixed counters base initialization
Published May 24, 2012
4.9
MEDIUMCVSS 2.0
EPSS 0.39%
Description
The x86_assign_hw_event function in arch/x86/kernel/cpu/perf_event.c in the Performance Events subsystem in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39 does not properly calculate counter values, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (panic) via the perf program.
Affected products
No data.
- < 2.6.39
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel-0:2.6.32-131.17.1.el6
Fixed · RHSA-2011:1350
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
realtime-kernel
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel-0:2.6.32-131.17.1.el6 | Fixed | RHSA-2011:1350 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | realtime-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, 5, and Red Hat Enterprise MRG as they did not backport the upstream commit 41bf498 that introduced the issue. This has been addressed in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 via https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-1350.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:N/I:N/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 | 0.39% (0.00392) | 30.89th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.40% (0.00395) | 31.08th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.05% (0.00052) | 13.29th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.07th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.63th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 0.95% (0.00950) | 32.28th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 13, 2023 | 0.95% (0.00950) | 31.86th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2023 | 1.03% (0.01034) | 40.96th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 10, 2022 | 0.95% (0.00950) | 30.63th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 0.95% (0.00950) | 28.61th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 0.95% (0.00950) | 13.46th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (8)
- http://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.39 x_refsource_CONFIRMBroken Link
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=fc66c5210ec2539e800e87d7b3a985323c7be96e x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/07/06/4 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2011-2521 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=719228 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/fc66c5210ec2539e800e87d7b3a985323c7be96e x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-2521
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-2521
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.39 | x_refsource_CONFIRMBroken Link | |
| http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=fc66c5210ec2539e800e87d7b3a985323c7be96e | x_refsource_CONFIRM | |
| http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/07/06/4 | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2011-2521 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=719228 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party Advisory | |
| https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/fc66c5210ec2539e800e87d7b3a985323c7be96e | x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-2521 | ||
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-2521 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.