CVE-2012-3375

Linux Kernel < 3.2.24 - Denial of Service via EPOLL_CTL_ADD Circular Dependency

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2012-3375. PoCs published by Yurij M. Plotnikov.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit triggers a local denial-of-service (DoS) in the Linux kernel by creating circular dependencies between epoll file descriptors, leading to a kernel crash. The PoC repeatedly creates epoll instances, sockets, and binds them in a way that causes a kernel panic.

Description

The epoll_ctl system call in fs/eventpoll.c in the Linux kernel before 3.2.24 does not properly handle ELOOP errors in EPOLL_CTL_ADD operations, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (file-descriptor consumption and system crash) via a crafted application that attempts to create a circular epoll dependency. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incorrect fix for CVE-2011-1083.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Yurij M. Plotnikov · cdoslinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/19605

This exploit triggers a local denial-of-service (DoS) in the Linux kernel by creating circular dependencies between epoll file descriptors, leading to a kernel crash. The PoC repeatedly creates epoll instances, sockets, and binds them in a way that causes a kernel panic.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Dos
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Linux Kernel (versions affected by CVE-2012-3375)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (9)

Core 9
Core References
Various Sources x_refsource_confirm
https://downloads.avaya.com/css/P8/documents/100165733
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_sectrack
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027237
Third Party Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/51164
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/07/04/2
Various Sources vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu
http://ubuntu.com/usn/usn-1529-1
Issue Tracking x_refsource_confirm
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=837502

Scores

EPSS 0.0102
EPSS Percentile 58.8%

Details

Status published
Products (50)
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.1
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.2
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.3
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.4
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.5
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.6
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.7
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.8
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.9
linux/linux_kernel 3.0.10
... and 40 more
Published Oct 03, 2012
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026