kernel: Salsa20 encryption algorithm does not correctly handle zero-length inputs allowing local attackers to cause denial-of-service
Published Dec 20, 2017
7.8
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.45%
Description
The Salsa20 encryption algorithm in the Linux kernel before 4.14.8 does not correctly handle zero-length inputs, allowing a local attacker able to use the AF_ALG-based skcipher interface (CONFIG_CRYPTO_USER_API_SKCIPHER) to cause a denial of service (uninitialized-memory free and kernel crash) or have unspecified other impact by executing a crafted sequence of system calls that use the blkcipher_walk API. Both the generic implementation (crypto/salsa20_generic.c) and x86 implementation (arch/x86/crypto/salsa20_glue.c) of Salsa20 were vulnerable.
Affected products
No data.
Configuration 1
- ≥ 2.6.25 · < 3.2.97
- ≥ 3.3 · < 3.16.52
- ≥ 3.17 · < 3.18.89
- ≥ 3.19 · < 4.1.49
- ≥ 4.2 · < 4.4.107
- ≥ 4.5 · < 4.9.71
- ≥ 4.10 · < 4.14.8
Configuration 2
- 8.0
- 9.0
- 42.2
- 42.3
- 12
- 12
- 11
- 11
- 12
- 12
- 12
Configuration 3
- 12.04
- 14.04
- 16.04
- 17.10
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel-0:2.6.32-754.18.2.el6
Fixed · RHSA-2019:2473
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-0:3.10.0-957.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2018:3083
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-alt-0:4.14.0-115.el7a
Fixed · RHSA-2018:2948
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2018:3096
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
realtime-kernel
Affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel-0:2.6.32-754.18.2.el6 | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2473 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-0:3.10.0-957.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2018:3083 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-alt-0:4.14.0-115.el7a | Fixed | RHSA-2018:2948 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2018:3096 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel | Not 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 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 6, 7, its real-time kernel, Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 for ARM 64, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 for Power 9 LE. Future Linux kernel updates for the respective releases may address this issue.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (14 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.45% (0.00445) | 36.37th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.43% (0.00425) | 33.70th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.04% (0.00037) | 8.04th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00044) | 11.89th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 2, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00044) | 10.25th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00044) | 8.24th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 74.98th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 74.94th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 72.92th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.55% (0.01547) | 51.82th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 3.40% (0.03399) | 67.40th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 3.40% (0.03399) | 67.09th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 3.40% (0.03399) | 81.71th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 3.40% (0.03399) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (28)
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=ecaaab5649781c5a0effdaf298a925063020500e x_refsource_CONFIRMPatch
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2018-01/msg00006.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2018-01/msg00007.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2018-01/msg00008.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2018-01/msg00014.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEThird Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2018-01/msg00016.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEThird Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/102291 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:2948 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3083 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:3096 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2473 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-17805 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1528312 Issue Tracking
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/ecaaab5649781c5a0effdaf298a925063020500e x_refsource_CONFIRMPatch
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/01/msg00004.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-17805
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3617-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3617-2/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3617-3/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3619-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3619-2/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3620-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3620-2/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3632-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-17805
- https://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-4073 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
- https://www.debian.org/security/2018/dsa-4082 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
- https://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.14.8 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingRelease Notes
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.