CVE-2015-8539

Name: CVE-2015-8539
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2016-02-08T03:59:03.903+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 0.43%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2015-8539 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. The KEYS subsystem in the Linux kernel before 4.4 allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (BUG) via crafted keyctl commands that negatively instantiate a key, related to security/keys/encrypted-keys/encrypted.c, security/keys/trusted.c, and security/keys/user_defined.c.. EPSS estimates a 0.43% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

The KEYS subsystem in the Linux kernel before 4.4 allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (BUG) via crafted keyctl commands that negatively instantiate a key, related to security/keys/encrypted-keys/encrypted.c, security/keys/trusted.c, and security/keys/user_defined.c.

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

0.43%

34.1th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-269

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	12.04	—
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	14.04	—
Suse	Linux Enterprise Real Time Extension	12	Sp1
Linux	Linux Kernel	< 4.4	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	4.4	Rc1

References

http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=096fe9eaea40a17e125569f9e657e34cdb6d73bdVendor Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00007.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00008.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00009.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00011.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00017.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00018.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00019.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00020.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00021.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00022.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00034.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-03/msg00094.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-04/msg00045.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-08/msg00000.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-08/msg00038.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/09/1Issue Tracking, Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0151Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0152Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0181Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1284450Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/096fe9eaea40a17e125569f9e657e34cdb6d73bdIssue Tracking, Patch, Vendor Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3798-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3798-2/Third Party Advisory
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=096fe9eaea40a17e125569f9e657e34cdb6d73bdVendor Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00007.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00008.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00009.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00011.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00017.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00018.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00019.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00020.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00021.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00022.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-02/msg00034.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-03/msg00094.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-04/msg00045.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-08/msg00000.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-08/msg00038.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/09/1Issue Tracking, Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0151Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0152Third Party Advisory
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2018:0181Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1284450Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/096fe9eaea40a17e125569f9e657e34cdb6d73bdIssue Tracking, Patch, Vendor Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3798-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/3798-2/Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Feb 8, 2016
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2015-8539?

How severe is CVE-2015-8539?

CVE-2015-8539 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.43% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2015-8539?

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-2015-8539?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST