CVE-2019-3901

Name: CVE-2019-3901
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2019-04-22T16:29:01.85+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 4.7/10EPSS 0.34%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2019-3901 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 4.7/10 on the CVSS scale. A race condition in perf_event_open() allows local attackers to leak sensitive data from setuid programs. As no relevant locks (in particular the cred_guard_mutex) are held during the ptrace_may_access() call, it is possible for the specified target task to perform an execve() syscall with setuid execution before perf_event_alloc() actually attaches to it, allowing an attacker to bypass the ptrace_may_access() check and the perf_event_exit_task(current) call that is performed in install_exec_creds() during privileged execve() calls. EPSS estimates a 0.34% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

A race condition in perf_event_open() allows local attackers to leak sensitive data from setuid programs. As no relevant locks (in particular the cred_guard_mutex) are held during the ptrace_may_access() call, it is possible for the specified target task to perform an execve() syscall with setuid execution before perf_event_alloc() actually attaches to it, allowing an attacker to bypass the ptrace_may_access() check and the perf_event_exit_task(current) call that is performed in install_exec_creds() during privileged execve() calls. This issue affects kernel versions before 4.8.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

4.7/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.34%

25.7th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	< 4.8
Debian	Debian Linux	8.0
Netapp	Active Iq Unified Manager For Vmware Vsphere	>= 9.5
Netapp	Hci Management Node	All versions
Netapp	Snapprotect	All versions
Netapp	Solidfire	All versions
Netapp	Storage Replication Adapter For Clustered Data Ontap For Vmware Vsphere	>= 7.2
Netapp	Vasa Provider For Clustered Data Ontap	>= 7.2
Netapp	Virtual Storage Console For Vmware Vsphere	>= 7.2
Netapp	Cn1610 Firmware	All versions

References

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/89937Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2019-3901Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00041.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00042.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190517-0005/Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/89937Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2019-3901Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00041.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/05/msg00042.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190517-0005/Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Apr 22, 2019
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2019-3901?

How severe is CVE-2019-3901?

CVE-2019-3901 has a CVSS score of 4.7/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.34% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2019-3901?

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-2019-3901?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST