CVE-2010-2960

Name: CVE-2010-2960
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2010-09-08T20:00:04.027+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 0.51%

Last modified Jun 16, 2026

CVE-2010-2960 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. The keyctl_session_to_parent function in security/keys/keyctl.c in the Linux kernel 2.6.35.4 and earlier expects that a certain parent session keyring exists, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and system crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a KEYCTL_SESSION_TO_PARENT argument to the keyctl function.. EPSS estimates a 0.51% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

The keyctl_session_to_parent function in security/keys/keyctl.c in the Linux kernel 2.6.35.4 and earlier expects that a certain parent session keyring exists, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and system crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a KEYCTL_SESSION_TO_PARENT argument to the keyctl function.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.51%

39.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-476

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Linux	Linux Kernel	< 2.6.35.4	—
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	6.06	—
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	8.04	—
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	9.04	—
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	9.10	—
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	10.04	—
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	10.10	—
Suse	Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop	11	Sp1
Suse	Suse Linux Enterprise Server	11	Sp1

References

http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-10/msg00003.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2011-02/msg00000.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/41263Broken Link
http://securitytracker.com/id?1024384Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://twitter.com/taviso/statuses/22777866582Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/09/02/1Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/42932Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1000-1Third Party Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0298Broken Link
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=627440Exploit, Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/61557Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-10/msg00003.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2011-02/msg00000.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://secunia.com/advisories/41263Broken Link
http://securitytracker.com/id?1024384Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://twitter.com/taviso/statuses/22777866582Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/09/02/1Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/42932Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1000-1Third Party Advisory
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0298Broken Link
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=627440Exploit, Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/61557Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry

Timeline

Published: Sep 8, 2010
Last Modified: Jun 16, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2010-2960?

How severe is CVE-2010-2960?

CVE-2010-2960 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.51% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2010-2960?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2010-2960?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

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Source: NVD / NIST