Linux KernelOperating system · Linux
CVE-2007-3851
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 · uneditedThe drm/i915 component in the Linux kernel before 2.6.22.2, when used with i965G and later chipsets, allows local users with access to an X11 session and Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) to write to arbitrary memory locations and gain privileges via a crafted batchbuffer.
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 i915 DRM driver in Linux kernels before 2.6.22.2 contains a memory corruption vulnerability where a local user with X11 and DRM access can send a crafted batchbuffer (GPU command buffer) to the i965G or newer integrated graphics chipset, allowing arbitrary memory writes and local privilege escalation.
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
<= 2.6.22.1CVSS 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
- High
- Authentication
- Single
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:L/AC:H/Au:S/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.
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Check the running kernel versionRun 'uname -r' or 'cat /proc/version' to obtain the kernel version stringAffected if The version is 2.6.22.1 or earlier (e.g., 2.6.22, 2.6.21, 2.6.20, etc.)
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Verify the i915 DRM driver is loadedRun 'lsmod | grep i915' or check /sys/module/i915/ for the driver presenceAffected if The i915 module is loaded and in use on the system
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Identify the graphics hardwareRun 'lspci | grep -i vga' or 'lspci | grep -i intel' to list the graphics adapterAffected if The system uses an Intel i965G integrated graphics chipset or newer (such as G965, GMA X3000, etc.)
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Confirm user access to DRM/X11Check if unprivileged users can access /dev/dri/* devices or X11 display ':0'Affected if Local users have X11 and DRM device access without special privileges
A system is affected if it runs kernel 2.6.22.1 or earlier, uses an Intel i965G or newer graphics chipset, and allows local users to access the i915 DRM driver via X11.
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 2.6.22.2 or later, or apply the specific i915 driver patch that validates batchbuffer memory addresses before execution. Restrict DRM access in the X11 configuration as a compensating control if kernel updates are not immediately feasible.
Fix this in Linux Kernel
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2007-3851 — 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-2007-3851 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
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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