Linux KernelOperating system · Linux
CVE-2011-1474
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 · uneditedA locally locally exploitable DOS vulnerability was found in pax-linux versions 2.6.32.33-test79.patch, 2.6.38-test3.patch, and 2.6.37.4-test14.patch. A bad bounds check in arch_get_unmapped_area_topdown triggered by programs doing an mmap after a MAP_GROWSDOWN mmap will create an infinite loop condition without releasing the VM semaphore eventually leading to a system crash.
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 · moderate confidenceA locally exploitable DoS vulnerability exists in pax-linux kernels where a bounds check error in arch_get_unmapped_area_topdown triggers an infinite loop when a program performs mmap after a MAP_GROWSDOWN mmap. The loop never releases the VM semaphore, causing a system crash.
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
= 2.6.32.33= 2.6.37.4= 2.6.38CVSS 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
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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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Identify kernel variantRun 'uname -a' or check /proc/version to see if the kernel is a pax-linux variant rather than a standard upstream kernelAffected if The system is running a pax-linux kernel and the version matches 2.6.32.33, 2.6.37.4, or 2.6.38
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Verify kernel version numberRun 'uname -r' and compare the output against the affected version range: 2.6.32.33, 2.6.37.4, or 2.6.38Affected if The installed kernel version exactly matches one of the affected versions listed
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Check for vulnerable code pathInspect the kernel source or binary for the arch_get_unmapped_area_topdown function to confirm the vulnerable bounds check code is presentAffected if The vulnerable bounds check logic exists in the kernel and MAP_GROWSDOWN operations can be performed by local users
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Assess local user accessDetermine if unprivileged local users can execute mmap system calls, particularly sequences involving MAP_GROWSDOWNAffected if Local unrestricted access to mmap operations exists, allowing the trigger sequence (mmap with MAP_GROWSDOWN followed by another mmap)
The system is affected if it runs a pax-linux kernel at version 2.6.32.33, 2.6.37.4, or 2.6.38 and permits local users to perform the MAP_GROWSDOWN mmap trigger sequence.
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 dataApply the appropriate pax-linux kernel patch that fixes the bounds check in arch_get_unmapped_area_topdown. As a compensating control, restrict local unprivileged access to mmap operations where feasible.
Fix this in Linux Kernel
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 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 $3,088.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2011-1474 — 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-2011-1474 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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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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