Linux KernelOperating system · Linux
CVE-2005-0839
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.
NVD · uneditedLinux kernel 2.6 before 2.6.11 does not restrict access to the N_MOUSE line discipline for a TTY, which allows local users to gain privileges by injecting mouse or keyboard events into other user sessions.
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.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe Linux kernel 2.6 before 2.6.11 fails to restrict access to the N_MOUSE line discipline for TTY devices, allowing local unprivileged users to inject mouse or keyboard events into other user sessions, effectively enabling privilege escalation by impersonating user input in another session.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
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.
NVD · CPE data
Linux KernelOperating system
= 2.6.0= 2.6.1= 2.6.2= 2.6.3= 2.6.4= 2.6.5= 2.6.6= 2.6.7= 2.6.8= 2.6.8.1= 2.6.9= 2.6.10CVSS 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.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
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.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Check kernel versionRun `uname -r` or `cat /proc/version` to determine the running kernel versionAffected if The version is 2.6.0 through 2.6.10 (including 2.6.8.1, 2.6.9, etc.)
-
Verify N_MOUSE line discipline availabilityCheck if the N_MOUSE line discipline is compiled or loaded on the system - look for mouse-related line disciplines in `/proc/tty/drivers` or by examining TTY configurationAffected if N_MOUSE is present and accessible to unprivileged users on the system
-
Confirm TTY device accessibilityList TTY device files in /dev (such as /dev/tty, /dev/pts/*) and verify they are readable/writable by non-root usersAffected if Unprivileged users can access TTY devices that use the N_MOUSE line discipline
-
Check line discipline configurationInspect the system's line discipline configuration for TTY devices to see if N_MOUSE is enabled or can be attached without privilegesAffected if N_MOUSE line discipline can be attached to a TTY device by an unprivileged user
The system is affected if the kernel version is 2.6.0 through 2.6.10 and the N_MOUSE line discipline is accessible to unprivileged users, allowing them to inject input events into other sessions.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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.
From vendor dataUpgrade the Linux kernel to version 2.6.11 or later, or apply the vendor-specific patch that restricts access to the N_MOUSE line discipline; alternatively, disable N_MOUSE line discipline if not required.
Fix this in Linux Kernel
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,168.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2005-0839 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2005-0839 in production — separate from our analysis above.
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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
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.
- 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