CVE-2016-5195: Linux Kernel Race Condition Vulnerability
Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect handling of a copy-on-write (COW) feature to write to a read-only memory mapping, as exploited in the wild in October 2016, aka "Dirty COW."
Published Nov 10, 2016 · Updated Jun 17, 2026
Required action
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Advisory details
From the National Vulnerability Database. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.
Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect handling of a copy-on-write (COW) feature to write to a read-only memory mapping, as exploited in the wild in October 2016, aka "Dirty COW."
References
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:0372
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2016-5195
- https://access.redhat.com/security/vulnerabilities/2706661
- https://bto.bluecoat.com/security-advisory/sa134
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1384344
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1004418
- https://dirtycow.ninja
- https://github.com/dirtycow/dirtycow.github.io/wiki/PoCs
- https://github.com/dirtycow/dirtycow.github.io/wiki/VulnerabilityDetails
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/19be0eaffa3ac7d8eb6784ad9bdbc7d67ed8e619
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-c05352241
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-hpesbgn03707en_us
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-hpesbgn03722en_us
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-hpesbgn03742en_us
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/hpsc/doc/public/display?docLocale=en_US&docId=emr_na-hpesbgn03761en_us
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c05341463
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c05347541
- https://h20566.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c05352241
- https://help.ecostruxureit.com/display/public/UADCO8x/StruxureWare+Data+Center+Operation+Software+Vulnerability+Fixes
- https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10176
- https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10177
- https://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10222
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/E7M62SRP6CZLJ4ZXCRZKV4WPLQBSR7DT/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NWMDLBWMGZKFHMRJ7QUQVCERP5QHDB6W/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/W3APRVDVPDBXLH4DC5UKZVCR742MJIM3/
- https://people.canonical.com/~ubuntu-security/cve/2016/CVE-2016-5195.html
- https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-5195
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20161025-0001/
- https://security.paloaltonetworks.com/CVE-2016-5195
- https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-11-01.html
How this page is made: the data panel comes from the GitHub Advisory Database, CISA’s KEV catalog, the NVD and FIRST EPSS, and updates twice a day. No analysis has been written for this entry yet. Methodology
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