CVE-2011-4081

Name: CVE-2011-4081
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2012-05-24T23:55:02.48+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 0.45%

Last modified Jun 16, 2026

CVE-2011-4081 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. crypto/ghash-generic.c in the Linux kernel before 3.1 allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and OOPS) or possibly have unspecified other impact by triggering a failed or missing ghash_setkey function call, followed by a (1) ghash_update function call or (2) ghash_final function call, as demonstrated by a write operation on an AF_ALG socket.. EPSS estimates a 0.45% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

crypto/ghash-generic.c in the Linux kernel before 3.1 allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and OOPS) or possibly have unspecified other impact by triggering a failed or missing ghash_setkey function call, followed by a (1) ghash_update function call or (2) ghash_final function call, as demonstrated by a write operation on an AF_ALG socket.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.45%

35.9th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-476

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	< 3.1

References

http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=7ed47b7d142ec99ad6880bbbec51e9f12b3af74c
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.1Mailing List, Patch, Vendor Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/10/27/2Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=749475Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/7ed47b7d142ec99ad6880bbbec51e9f12b3af74cExploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory
http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=7ed47b7d142ec99ad6880bbbec51e9f12b3af74c
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.1Mailing List, Patch, Vendor Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/10/27/2Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=749475Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/7ed47b7d142ec99ad6880bbbec51e9f12b3af74cExploit, Patch, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: May 24, 2012
Last Modified: Jun 16, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2011-4081?

How severe is CVE-2011-4081?

CVE-2011-4081 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.45% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2011-4081?

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-2011-4081?

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

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Source: NVD / NIST