CVE-2016-9120

Name: CVE-2016-9120
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2016-12-08T21:59:02.443+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 1.74%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2016-9120 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. Race condition in the ion_ioctl function in drivers/staging/android/ion/ion.c in the Linux kernel before 4.6 allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (use-after-free) by calling ION_IOC_FREE on two CPUs at the same time.. EPSS estimates a 1.74% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

Race condition in the ion_ioctl function in drivers/staging/android/ion/ion.c in the Linux kernel before 4.6 allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (use-after-free) by calling ION_IOC_FREE on two CPUs at the same time.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

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

EPSS Probability

1.74%

74.7th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 3.14, < 3.16.40
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 3.17, < 3.18.51
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 3.19, < 4.1.41
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 4.2, < 4.4.65
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 4.5, < 4.6

References

http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=9590232bb4f4cc824f3425a6e1349afbe6d6d2b7Issue Tracking, Patch, Vendor Advisory
http://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-12-01.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94669Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/9590232bb4f4cc824f3425a6e1349afbe6d6d2b7Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=9590232bb4f4cc824f3425a6e1349afbe6d6d2b7Issue Tracking, Patch, Vendor Advisory
http://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2016-12-01.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94669Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/9590232bb4f4cc824f3425a6e1349afbe6d6d2b7Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-9120?

How severe is CVE-2016-9120?

CVE-2016-9120 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.74% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2016-9120?

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-2016-9120?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST