Linux KernelOperating system · Linux

CVE-2005-0001

MEDIUM · 6.9 CVSS v2.0 Published 2005-05-02

Mitigation only

No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.

See remediation →

74/100

Remediation priority · Elevated

No privileges Zero-click

Official description

NVD · unedited

Race condition in the page fault handler (fault.c) for Linux kernel 2.2.x to 2.2.7, 2.4 to 2.4.29, and 2.6 to 2.6.10, when running on multiprocessor machines, allows local users to execute arbitrary code via concurrent threads that share the same virtual memory space and simultaneously request stack expansion.

Technical summary

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Race condition in the Linux kernel page fault handler (fault.c) on multiprocessor systems allows local users to gain arbitrary code execution through concurrent threads sharing virtual memory that simultaneously request stack expansion.

MitigationUpgrade to a patched kernel version (2.2.8+, 2.4.30+, or 2.6.11+) or apply vendor-supplied kernel patches. On SMP systems, consider disabling stack expansion in untrusted contexts or implementing additional access controls until upgrade is feasible.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions

NVD · CPE data

Linux KernelOperating system

Affected:= 2.2.7= 2.4.0= 2.4.1= 2.4.2= 2.4.3= 2.4.4= 2.4.5= 2.4.6= 2.4.7= 2.4.8= 2.4.9= 2.4.10

Enterprise LinuxOperating system

Affected:= 3.0= 4.0

Enterprise Linux DesktopOperating system

Affected:= 3.0= 4.0

Secure LinuxOperating system

Affected:= 2= 2.1= 2.2

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Local
Complexity: M
Authentication: None
Confidentiality: Complete
Integrity: Complete
Availability: Complete

AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected?

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

Check installed kernel version

Run `uname -r` to get the running kernel version, or check `/proc/version`. Compare against affected ranges: 2.2.7, 2.4.0-2.4.10, or vendor-specific kernel versions for RHEL 3.0/4.0 and Trustix 2/2.1/2.2.

Affected if The kernel version matches one of the affected versions listed (2.2.7, 2.4.0-2.4.10, or the specific vendor versions).
Determine if system is SMP (multiprocessor)

Check `/proc/cpuinfo` for multiple processors, or run `grep -c processor /proc/cpuinfo`. Also check kernel config for CONFIG_SMP=y or examine `uname -a` output for 'smp' indicator.

Affected if The system has multiple CPUs (SMP) - the vulnerability only applies to multiprocessor systems.
Verify kernel source contains vulnerable fault.c

If kernel source is available, examine the page fault handler in mm/fault.c. Look for the handle_mm_fault() function and check for missing locking around stack expansion code paths.

Affected if The source code lacks proper synchronization (spinlocks) around the stack expansion logic in the page fault handler.
Confirm running vendor kernel

For Red Hat systems, check `rpm -qa | grep kernel` to list installed kernel packages. For Trustix, check installed kernel packages via package manager.

Affected if The system runs an affected vendor kernel version (RHEL 3.0, RHEL 4.0, or Trustix 2/2.1/2.2).

The environment is affected if it runs a vulnerable kernel version (2.2.x through 2.4.10 or affected vendor versions) AND is running on SMP/multiprocessor hardware.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Remediation

From vendor data

Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime

Mitigation

Upgrade to a patched kernel version (2.2.8+, 2.4.30+, or 2.6.11+) or apply vendor-supplied kernel patches. On SMP systems, consider disabling stack expansion in untrusted contexts or implementing additional access controls until upgrade is feasible.

Fix this in Linux Kernel Scoped from the published advisory

Consultation4.0 h
Implementation8.0 h
Testing4.0 h
Review / QA2.0 h

18.0 hours of engineering $3,200

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Scan for this in your stack

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References

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2005-0001 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2005-0001?

The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.

The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
A config change or rule that shut the vector down
A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here

Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data

At a glance

A fix existsA vendor remedy is published

Severity 6.9 Medium

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 0.5%

Affects: Linux Kernel

Remediation

Need this fixed?

Fix this in Linux Kernel 18 hrs · Moderate

Typical engagement from $3,200

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Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

Check your environment

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

Affected products & versions

CVSS breakdown

Am I affected?

Remediation

References