kernel: perf_event_open() and execve() race in setuid programs allows a data leak
Published Apr 22, 2019
4.7
MEDIUMCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.34%
Description
A race condition in perf_event_open() allows local attackers to leak sensitive data from setuid programs. As no relevant locks (in particular the cred_guard_mutex) are held during the ptrace_may_access() call, it is possible for the specified target task to perform an execve() syscall with setuid execution before perf_event_alloc() actually attaches to it, allowing an attacker to bypass the ptrace_may_access() check and the perf_event_exit_task(current) call that is performed in install_exec_creds() during privileged execve() calls. This issue affects kernel versions before 4.8.
Affected products
-
- Version older then 4.8StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Linux Foundation | Kernel | n/a |
|
Configuration 1
- < 4.8
Configuration 2
- 8.0
Configuration 3
- ≥ 9.5
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
- ≥ 7.2
- ≥ 7.2
- ≥ 7.2
Configuration 4
- n/a
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-0:3.10.0-1127.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2020:1016
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-1127.rt56.1093.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2020:1070
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6 Extended Update Support
kernel-0:3.10.0-957.56.1.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2020:2851
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.7 Extended Update Support
kernel-0:3.10.0-1062.26.1.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2020:2522
Red Hat Virtualization 4.2 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6 EUS
kernel-0:3.10.0-957.56.1.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2020:2851
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel
Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-alt
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel-rt
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
kernel-rt
Out of support scope
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-0:3.10.0-1127.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1016 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-1127.rt56.1093.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1070 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6 Extended Update Support | kernel-0:3.10.0-957.56.1.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:2851 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.7 Extended Update Support | kernel-0:3.10.0-1062.26.1.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:2522 |
| Red Hat Virtualization 4.2 for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.6 EUS | kernel-0:3.10.0-957.56.1.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:2851 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-alt | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel-rt | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | kernel-rt | Out of support scope | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/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
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
Table of values (12 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.34% (0.00339) | 24.90th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.34% (0.00339) | 25.46th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.07% (0.00072) | 19.45th | 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 | 1.36% (0.01365) | 71.56th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.36% (0.01365) | 69.53th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 2.74% (0.02737) | 62.78th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 5.03% (0.05034) | 78.60th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 5.03% (0.05034) | 78.39th | v1 |
| Jan 5, 2022 | 1.17% (0.01168) | 68.20th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 1.17% (0.01168) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (9)
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/89937 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2019-3901 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1701245 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2019-3901 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00041.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00042.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-3901
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190517-0005/ x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-3901
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/89937 | vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2019-3901 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1701245 | Issue Tracking | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2019-3901 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00041.html | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00042.html | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-3901 | ||
| https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190517-0005/ | x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory | |
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-3901 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.