CVE-2017-17052 — kernel: use-after-free in kernel/fork.c:mm_init function

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HIGH

kernel: use-after-free in kernel/fork.c:mm_init function

Published Nov 29, 2017

7.8

HIGH

CVSS 3.1

EPSS 0.37%

Description

The mm_init function in kernel/fork.c in the Linux kernel before 4.12.10 does not clear the ->exe_file member of a new process's mm_struct, allowing a local attacker to achieve a use-after-free or possibly have unspecified other impact by running a specially crafted program.

Affected products

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5

kernel

Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6

kernel

Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

kernel

Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

kernel-alt

Affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7

kernel-rt

Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2

realtime-kernel

Not affected

Product	Package	State	Advisory
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	Not affected	n/a
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7	kernel-alt	Affected	n/a
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7	kernel-rt	Not affected	n/a
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2	realtime-kernel	Not affected	n/a

Remediation

Red Hat statement

This issue does not affect the versions of the Linux kernel as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, 6, and 7, its real-time kernel, Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2, as the code with the flaw is not present in the products listed. This issue affects the versions of the Linux kernel as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 for ARM 64 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 for Power 9 LE. Future updates for the respective releases may address this issue.

Metrics

0.37% 0.00370

Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.

EPSS probability 0.00370

Score over time

2021–2026

EPSS v1
EPSS v5
EPSS v2
EPSS v3

Percentile over time

EPSS v1
EPSS v5
EPSS v2
EPSS v3

Table of values (8 key points)

Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.

Date	Score	Percentile	Model
Oct 1, 2026	0.37% (0.00370)	28.52th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Sep 20, 2026	0.37% (0.00370)	30.86th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Jul 20, 2024	0.04% (0.00042)	5.06th	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 4, 2022	0.95% (0.00950)	13.46th	v2 (v2022.01.01)
Feb 3, 2022	0.56% (0.00555)	12.81th	v5 (v2026.06.15)
Apr 14, 2021	0.56% (0.00555)	0.00th	v1

Weaknesses (1)

CWE-416

Use After Free

References (8)

http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=2b7e8665b4ff51c034c55df3cff76518d1a9ee3a
x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatch
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/102009
vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-17052
Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1518632
Issue Tracking
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/2b7e8665b4ff51c034c55df3cff76518d1a9ee3a
x_refsource_CONFIRMPatch
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-17052
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-17052
https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.12.10
x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue Tracking

Link	Providers	Tags
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=2b7e8665b4ff51c034c55df3cff76518d1a9ee3a		x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatch
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/102009		vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-17052		Vendor Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1518632		Issue Tracking
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/2b7e8665b4ff51c034c55df3cff76518d1a9ee3a		x_refsource_CONFIRMPatch
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-17052
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-17052
https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.12.10		x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue Tracking