kernel: mm subsystem does not properly enforce the CONFIG_STRICT_DEVMEM protection mechanism
Published Apr 17, 2017
7.8
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.32%
Description
The mm subsystem in the Linux kernel through 3.2 does not properly enforce the CONFIG_STRICT_DEVMEM protection mechanism, which allows local users to read or write to kernel memory locations in the first megabyte (and bypass slab-allocation access restrictions) via an application that opens the /dev/mem file, related to arch/x86/mm/init.c and drivers/char/mem.c.
Affected products
No data.
Configuration 1
- < 3.2.91
- ≥ 3.3 · < 3.10.107
- ≥ 3.11 · < 3.12.74
- ≥ 3.13 · < 3.16.46
- ≥ 3.17 · < 3.18.50
- ≥ 3.19 · < 4.1.41
- ≥ 4.2 · < 4.4.63
- ≥ 4.5 · < 4.9.24
- ≥ 4.10 · < 4.10.12
Configuration 2
- 8.0
Configuration 3
- 12.04
- 14.04
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel-0:2.6.32-754.el6
Fixed · RHSA-2018:1854
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-0:3.10.0-693.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2017:1842
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-693.rt56.617.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2017:2077
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
kernel-rt-1:3.10.0-693.2.1.rt56.585.el6rt
Fixed · RHSA-2017:2669
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel
Will not fix
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel-0:2.6.32-754.el6 | Fixed | RHSA-2018:1854 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-0:3.10.0-693.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2017:1842 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-693.rt56.617.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2077 |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | kernel-rt-1:3.10.0-693.2.1.rt56.585.el6rt | Fixed | RHSA-2017:2669 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kernel | Will not fix | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
This issue affects the Linux kernel packages as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. This is not currently planned to be addressed in future updates of the product due to its life cycle. For additional information, refer to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Life Cycle: https://access.redhat.com/support/policy/updates/errata/. This issue affects the versions of the Linux kernel as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7 and Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2. Future kernel updates for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7 and Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 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:H/I:H/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 (13 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.32% (0.00320) | 22.62th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.31% (0.00308) | 22.18th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.03% (0.00031) | 5.76th | 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 | 1.28% (0.01282) | 68.34th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 22, 2023 | 1.28% (0.01282) | 68.05th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.28% (0.01282) | 65.91th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.28% (0.01282) | 41.72th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 1.44% (0.01440) | 32.36th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 1.44% (0.01440) | 31.65th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 1.44% (0.01440) | 71.01th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 1.44% (0.01440) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (16)
- http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=a4866aa812518ed1a37d8ea0c881dc946409de94 x_refsource_MISCIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- http://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3945 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/04/16/4 x_refsource_MISCMailing ListPatchThird Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/97690 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:1842 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2077 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:2669 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:1854 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-7889 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1444493 Issue Tracking
- https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/tip/tip.git/commit/?id=b8f254aa17f720053054c4ecff3920973a83b9d6 x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/a4866aa812518ed1a37d8ea0c881dc946409de94 x_refsource_MISCIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-7889
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3583-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3583-2/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-7889
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.