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NVD / CVE Program· CNA debian

CVE-2017-16995: The check_alu_op function in kernel/bpf/verifier.c in the Linux kernel through 4.4 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory…

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1—Weaponized Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Plan (action score 40/100)

  • A ready-made attack module is public (Metasploit); exploiting it takes no special expertise.
  • Public proof-of-concept code exists (Exploit-DB, GitHub); there is no record of exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 30% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 98.2% of all records.
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: linux (Debian:12) 4.14.7-1; linux (Debian:9) 4.9.65-3+deb9u1; kernel-source (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 5.14.6-1.4, 6.6.17-1.1.

Add it to your regular patch cycle. Upgrade to linux (Debian:12) 4.14.7-1; linux (Debian:9) 4.9.65-3+deb9u1; kernel-source (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 5.14.6-1.4, 6.6.17-1.1 or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS

The check_alu_op function in kernel/bpf/verifier.c in the Linux kernel through 4.4 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact by leveraging incorrect sign extension.

Published
Dec 27, 2017
Updated
Jun 16, 2026
EPSS
30.0% · 98th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

40

Plan

Add it to your regular patch cycle.

CVSS
31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
9 / 30 · 30.0%

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • Weaponized exploit exists
  • A fix has been released

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When you'll hear from us

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  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
linuxlinux kernel
debiandebian linux
canonicalubuntu linux

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • canonical ubuntu linux14.04
  • canonical ubuntu linux16.04
  • debian debian linux9.0
  • linux linux kernel4.9 and later · before 4.9.72
  • linux linux kernel4.10 and later · before 4.14.9

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
Debian:12linuxbefore 4.14.7-14.14.7-1
Debian:9linuxbefore 4.9.65-3+deb9u14.9.65-3+deb9u1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedkernel-sourcebefore 5.14.6-1.45.14.6-1.4
openSUSE:Tumbleweedkernel-sourcebefore 6.6.17-1.16.6.17-1.1

Same product

linux: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-31431crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-placeKEV
    90Now
  • CVE-2022-0847A flaw was found in the way the "flags" member of the new pipe buffer structure was lacking proper initialization in copy_page_to_iter_pipe…KEV
    89Now
  • CVE-2021-22555Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACEKEV
    85Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2017-17806Dec 20, 2017 · The HMAC implementation (crypto/hmac.c) in the Linux kernel before 4.14.8 does not validate that the underlying cryptographic hash…
    31Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2017-17807Dec 20, 2017 · The KEYS subsystem in the Linux kernel before 4.14.6 omitted an access-control check when adding a key to the current task's "default…
    13Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2017-16996Dec 27, 2017 · kernel/bpf/verifier.c in the Linux kernel through 4.14.8 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly…
    31Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
debian:linux4.14.7-1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:kernel-source5.14.6-1.4 · openSUSE:TumbleweedPackage registry (OSV)

Exploit status

Weaponized

A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.

Evidence

  • Metasploit module ×1
  • Exploit-DB entry ×4
  • Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×15

Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.

Public exploit evidence
SourceKindDate
Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub15 repositories2018-03-19 → 2026-07-21
Exploit-DB entrylocal2018-07-19
Exploit-DB entrylocal2018-07-19
Exploit-DB entrylocal2018-07-10
Exploit-DB entrylocal2018-03-16
Metasploit moduleexploit/linux/local/bpf_sign_extension_priv_escLinux BPF Sign Extension Local Privilege Escalationexploit2017-11-12

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

  1. Metasploit-46 d
  2. Published
  3. First PoC+78 d
  4. TodayNov 14, 2026+3244 d

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-119 · Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

nvd-primary

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

ATT&CK techniques

—

References

Show all references (10 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records