‹ Back to list

CVE-2010-4243

Status: ModifiedMedium (4.9)—Exploit
Severity4.9Medium · CVSS 2.0
Exploitation probability0.91 %higher than 59% of CVEs
Active exploitationNonot in the CISA catalog
Public exploitAvailablePublished on Exploit-DB

fs/exec.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.37 does not enable the OOM Killer to assess use of stack memory by arrays representing the (1) arguments and (2) environment, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a crafted exec system call, aka an "OOM dodging issue," a related issue to CVE-2010-3858.

CVSS

Base score
4.9
Version
2.0
Vector
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days
0.91 %
Percentile among all scored CVEs
59
Score date
10/20/2026

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

Public exploits

Exploit code or detection templates are publicly available. This is not the same as confirmed active exploitation (KEV), but it raises the risk: patch with priority.

Affected technologies (1)

Linux — Linux Kernel

CWEs

References

Show 38 references

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show
{
  "id": "CVE-2010-4243",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 4.9,
          "accessVector": "LOCAL",
          "vectorString": "AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "NONE",
          "accessComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 6.9,
        "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.9,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2011-01-22T22:00:04.240",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=3c77f845722158206a7209c45ccddc264d19319c",
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://grsecurity.net/~spender/64bit_dos.c",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://linux.derkeiler.com/Mailing-Lists/Kernel/2010-11/msg13278.html",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://lkml.org/lkml/2010/8/27/429",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://lkml.org/lkml/2010/8/29/206",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://lkml.org/lkml/2010/8/30/138",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://lkml.org/lkml/2010/8/30/378",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/11/22/15",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/11/22/6",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://secunia.com/advisories/42884",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://secunia.com/advisories/46397",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15619",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.37",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0017.html",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/520102/100/0/threaded",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/45004",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0012.html",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=625688",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/64700",
      "tags": [
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "secalert@redhat.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=3c77f845722158206a7209c45ccddc264d19319c",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://grsecurity.net/~spender/64bit_dos.c",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://linux.derkeiler.com/Mailing-Lists/Kernel/2010-11/msg13278.html",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://lkml.org/lkml/2010/8/27/429",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://lkml.org/lkml/2010/8/29/206",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://lkml.org/lkml/2010/8/30/138",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Patch",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://lkml.org/lkml/2010/8/30/378",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/11/22/15",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/11/22/6",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://secunia.com/advisories/42884",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://secunia.com/advisories/46397",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15619",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit",
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.37",
      "tags": [
        "Broken Link"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0017.html",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/520102/100/0/threaded",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/45004",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory",
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0012.html",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=625688",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/64700",
      "tags": [
        "VDB Entry"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-400"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "fs/exec.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.37 does not enable the OOM Killer to assess use of stack memory by arrays representing the (1) arguments and (2) environment, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via a crafted exec system call, aka an \"OOM dodging issue,\" a related issue to CVE-2010-3858."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "fs/exec.c del kernel de Linux en versiones anteriores a la 2.6.37 no habilita el \"OOM Killer\" para evaluar el uso de la memoria de pila por los arrays de los (1) argumentos y (2) entorno, lo que permite a usuarios locales provocar una denegación de servicio (consumo de la memoria) a través de una llamada del sistema exec modificada. También conocido como \"OOM dodging issue\". Relacionado con la vulnerabilidad CVE-2010-3858."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-16T23:24:25.510",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "76630B45-B590-4651-972E-F938A83010C0",
              "versionEndExcluding": "2.6.37"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "secalert@redhat.com"
}