CVE-2016-3136

MEDIUM

Linux Kernel < 4.5.1 - Denial of Service via Crafted USB Device

Title source: llm

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2016-3136. PoCs published by OpenSource Security.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit demonstrates a null-pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mct_u232 driver, leading to a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. The PoC involves a malformed USB device descriptor that triggers a kernel panic when processed.

Description

The mct_u232_msr_to_state function in drivers/usb/serial/mct_u232.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.1 allows physically proximate attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and system crash) via a crafted USB device without two interrupt-in endpoint descriptors.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC

by OpenSource Security · textdoslinux

https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39541

View Code ZIP pw:eip

This exploit demonstrates a null-pointer dereference vulnerability in the Linux kernel's mct_u232 driver, leading to a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. The PoC involves a malformed USB device descriptor that triggers a kernel panic when processed.

Classification

Working Poc 100%

Attack Type

Dos

Complexity

Trivial

Reliability

Reliable

Target: Linux Kernel 3.10.0-229.20.1.el7.x86_64 (RHEL 7.1)

No auth needed

Prerequisites: Physical access to the target system · A USB device (e.g., Arduino Leonardo) to emulate the malformed descriptor

MITRE ATT&CK

T1499 - Endpoint Denial of Service

devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (22)

Core 22

Core References

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2971-2

Mailing List vendor-advisory x_refsource_suse

http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-06/msg00054.html

Mailing List vendor-advisory x_refsource_suse

http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-06/msg00056.html

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2970-1

Patch x_refsource_confirm

http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=4e9a0b05257f29cf4b75f3209243ed71614d062e

Issue Tracking x_refsource_confirm

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1283370

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2968-1

Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/03/14/2

Patch x_refsource_confirm

https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/4e9a0b05257f29cf4b75f3209243ed71614d062e

View Patch ZIP pw:eip

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2971-3

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2997-1

Mailing List vendor-advisory x_refsource_suse

http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-07/msg00005.html

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3000-1

Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_debian

http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3607

Exploit, Third Party Advisory exploit x_refsource_exploit-db

https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39541/

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2971-1

Issue Tracking x_refsource_confirm

https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1317007

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2996-1

Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu

http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2968-2

Mailing List vendor-advisory x_refsource_suse

http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-05/msg00060.html

Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/84299

Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm

http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v4.x/ChangeLog-4.5.1

Scores

CVSS v3 4.6

EPSS 0.0180

EPSS Percentile 75.6%

Attack Vector PHYSICAL

CVSS:3.0/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Details

Status published

Products (10)

canonical/ubuntu_linux 12.04

canonical/ubuntu_linux 14.04

linux/linux_kernel < 4.5.0

novell/suse_linux_enterprise_desktop 12.0 (2 CPE variants)

novell/suse_linux_enterprise_live_patching 12.0

novell/suse_linux_enterprise_module_for_public_cloud 12.0

novell/suse_linux_enterprise_real_time_extension 12.0 sp1

novell/suse_linux_enterprise_server 12.0 (2 CPE variants)

novell/suse_linux_enterprise_software_development_kit 12.0 (2 CPE variants)

novell/suse_linux_enterprise_workstation_extension 12.0 (2 CPE variants)

Published May 02, 2016

Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026