CVE-2016-4558

Status: ModifiedHigh (7)—💥 Exploit

The BPF subsystem in the Linux kernel before 4.5.5 mishandles reference counts, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (use-after-free) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted application on (1) a system with more than 32 Gb of memory, related to the program reference count or (2) a 1 Tb system, related to the map reference count.

CVSS

Version: 3.1
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Base score: 7

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.86%
Percentile among all scored CVEs: 58
Score date: 10/12/2026

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.

Published on Exploit-DB · Linux Kernel (Ubuntu 16.04) - Reference Count Overflow Using BPF Maps (5/4/2016)

Affected technologies (2)

Canonical — Ubuntu Linux Linux — Linux Kernel

CWEs

NVD-CWE-Other

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show

{
  "id": "CVE-2016-4558",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 6.9,
          "accessVector": "LOCAL",
          "vectorString": "AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "accessComplexity": "MEDIUM",
          "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 10,
        "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.4,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 7,
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "HIGH",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
        },
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "exploitabilityScore": 1
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "cve@mitre.org",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2016-05-23T10:59:04.783",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=92117d8443bc5afacc8d5ba82e541946310f106e",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.5",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/06/4",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3005-1",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3006-1",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3007-1",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1334303",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/92117d8443bc5afacc8d5ba82e541946310f106e",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=92117d8443bc5afacc8d5ba82e541946310f106e",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.5",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/05/06/4",
      "tags": [
        "Mailing List",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3005-1",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3006-1",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3007-1",
      "tags": [
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1334303",
      "tags": [
        "Issue Tracking",
        "Third Party Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/92117d8443bc5afacc8d5ba82e541946310f106e",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "NVD-CWE-Other"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "The BPF subsystem in the Linux kernel before 4.5.5 mishandles reference counts, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (use-after-free) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted application on (1) a system with more than 32 Gb of memory, related to the program reference count or (2) a 1 Tb system, related to the map reference count."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "El subsistema BPF en el kernel de Linux en versiones anteriores a 4.5.5 no maneja correctamente las cuentas de referencia, lo que permite a usuarios locales provocar una denegación de servicio (uso después de liberación de memoria) o posiblemente tener otro impacto no especificado a través de una aplicación manipulada en (1) un sistema con más de 32 GB de memoria, relacionado con el programa de cuentas de referencia o (2) un sistema de 1 Tb, relacionado con el mapa de cuentas de referencia."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T00:47:46.947",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "854B0415-69B4-4DA9-9E3F-8C832E6D702E",
              "versionEndExcluding": "4.4.11",
              "versionStartIncluding": "4.4"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "4EC30B3A-B105-4482-A6B1-A5D1C79EFBA2",
              "versionEndExcluding": "4.5.5",
              "versionStartIncluding": "4.5"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "B5A6F2F3-4894-4392-8296-3B8DD2679084"
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "F7016A2A-8365-4F1A-89A2-7A19F2BCAE5B"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "evaluatorComment": "CWE-416: Use After Free",
  "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org"
}