kernel: memory leak in the kernel_read_file function in fs/exec.c allows to cause a denial of service
Published Feb 21, 2019
7.5
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 5.92%
Description
A memory leak in the kernel_read_file function in fs/exec.c in the Linux kernel through 4.20.11 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by triggering vfs_read failures.
Affected products
No data.
Configuration 1
- ≥ 4.7 · < 4.9.163
- ≥ 4.14 · < 4.14.106
- ≥ 4.19 · < 4.19.28
- ≥ 4.20 · < 4.20.15
- ≥ 5.0 · < 5.0.1
- 5.1
Configuration 2
- 14.04
- 16.04
- 18.04
- 18.10
Configuration 4
- 8.0
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel-0:4.18.0-193.el8
Fixed · RHSA-2020:1769
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel-rt-0:4.18.0-193.rt13.51.el8
Fixed · RHSA-2020:1567
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
Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
kernel-rt
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel-0:4.18.0-193.el8 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1769 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel-rt-0:4.18.0-193.rt13.51.el8 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1567 |
| 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 | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | kernel-rt | Not affected | 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:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/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 (20 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 5.92% (0.05918) | 93.02th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 5.85% (0.05845) | 92.20th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Dec 27, 2025 | 1.70% (0.01697) | 81.85th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Nov 18, 2025 | 2.78% (0.02783) | 84.78th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 24, 2025 | 1.72% (0.01720) | 81.46th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.34% (0.00343) | 54.75th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 6, 2024 | 2.09% (0.02092) | 89.54th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Sep 16, 2024 | 3.13% (0.03127) | 91.29th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 14, 2024 | 4.60% (0.04600) | 92.65th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Feb 15, 2024 | 5.34% (0.05342) | 92.81th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Nov 8, 2023 | 3.75% (0.03746) | 90.78th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.99% (0.00991) | 81.22th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.54% (0.01537) | 74.52th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1.54% (0.01537) | 74.48th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.54% (0.01537) | 72.41th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 16.31% (0.16306) | 92.84th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 11.51% (0.11512) | 88.34th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 11.51% (0.11512) | 88.20th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 2.82% (0.02818) | 80.51th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 2.82% (0.02818) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (14)
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-04/msg00052.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/107120 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2019-8980 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1679972 Issue Tracking
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00002.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-8980
- https://support.f5.com/csp/article/K56480726 x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3930-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3930-2/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3931-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/3931-2/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-8980
- https://www.mail-archive.com/linux-kernel%40vger.kernel.org/msg1935698.html x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.mail-archive.com/linux-kernel%40vger.kernel.org/msg1935705.html x_refsource_MISC
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.