CVE-2010-3858

Linux Kernel < 2.6.36 - Denial of Service via Stack Memory Consumption

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2010-3858. PoCs published by Roland McGrath.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages a kernel bug in 64-bit Linux systems where 32-bit applications are incorrectly allowed excessive stack growth, leading to a kernel BUG() crash. The PoC allocates a large stack and spawns /bin/sh with an excessive argument list to trigger the vulnerability.

Description

The setup_arg_pages function in fs/exec.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.36, when CONFIG_STACK_GROWSDOWN is used, does not properly restrict the stack memory consumption of the (1) arguments and (2) environment for a 32-bit application on a 64-bit platform, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) via a crafted exec system call, a related issue to CVE-2010-2240.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC
by Roland McGrath · cdoslinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15619

This exploit leverages a kernel bug in 64-bit Linux systems where 32-bit applications are incorrectly allowed excessive stack growth, leading to a kernel BUG() crash. The PoC allocates a large stack and spawns /bin/sh with an excessive argument list to trigger the vulnerability.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Dos
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Linux Kernel (64-bit systems with 32-bit applications)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: 64-bit Linux system · 32-bit application execution environment · ulimit -s unlimited
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →

References (20)

Core 20
Core References
Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/42789
Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0024
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0004.html
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/520102/100/0/threaded
Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/46397
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1041-1
Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/10/21/1
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2010-0958.html
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_mandriva
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:257
Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry exploit x_refsource_exploit-db
http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15619
Third Party Advisory x_refsource_confirm
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0012.html
Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/42758
Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/10/22/4
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/44301
Broken Link x_refsource_misc
http://grsecurity.net/~spender/64bit_dos.c
Third Party Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0070
Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory x_refsource_confirm
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=645222
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_debian
http://www.debian.org/security/2010/dsa-2126

Scores

EPSS 0.0091
EPSS Percentile 55.2%

Details

CWE
CWE-400
Status published
Products (5)
canonical/ubuntu_linux 9.10
canonical/ubuntu_linux 10.04
canonical/ubuntu_linux 10.10
debian/debian_linux 5.0
linux/linux_kernel < 2.6.36
Published Nov 30, 2010
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026