kernel: assoc_array: don't call compare_object() on a node
Published Nov 16, 2016
6.2
MEDIUMCVSS 3.0
EPSS 2.03%
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.
Affected products
No data.
- ≤ 4.5.2
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-0:3.10.0-514.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2016:2574
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt
Affected
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
realtime-kernel
Affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-0:3.10.0-514.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2016:2574 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt | Affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | realtime-kernel | Affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
This issue does not affect the Linux kernel packages as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and 6 as the code with the flaw is not present in the products listed. This issue does not affect the Linux kernel packages as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and Red Hat Enterprise MRG-2 as the flaw was already fixed in the products listed.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
1 other source (Red Hat) ▾
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:N/A:N
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 (10 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 2.03% (0.02032) | 80.34th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 2.04% (0.02041) | 78.56th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.18% (0.00181) | 37.59th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.07% (0.00070) | 32.57th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 13, 2024 | 0.07% (0.00070) | 30.50th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.07% (0.00070) | 28.47th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.11% (0.01108) | 55.18th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 17, 2022 | 1.11% (0.01108) | 53.57th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.11% (0.01108) | 51.54th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.11% (0.01108) | 29.61th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (10)
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=8d4a2ec1e0b41b0cf9a0c5cd4511da7f8e4f3de2 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2574.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- http://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-11-01.html x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.3 x_refsource_CONFIRMRelease Notes
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94138 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-7914 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1404939 Issue Tracking
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8d4a2ec1e0b41b0cf9a0c5cd4511da7f8e4f3de2 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7914
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7914
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=8d4a2ec1e0b41b0cf9a0c5cd4511da7f8e4f3de2 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2574.html | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT | |
| http://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-11-01.html | x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory | |
| http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.3 | x_refsource_CONFIRMRelease Notes | |
| http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94138 | vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-7914 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1404939 | Issue Tracking | |
| https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/8d4a2ec1e0b41b0cf9a0c5cd4511da7f8e4f3de2 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-7914 | ||
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-7914 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.