Linux Kernel PIE Stack Buffer Corruption Vulnerability
n/a — n/a
Linux distributions that have not patched their long-term kernels with https://git.kernel.org/linus/a87938b2e246b81b4fb713edb371a9fa3c5c3c86 (committed on April 14, 2015). This kernel vulnerability was fixed in April 2015 by commit a87938b2e246b81b4fb713edb371a9fa3c5c3c86 (backported to Linux 3.10.77 in May 2015), but it was not recognized as a security threat. With CONFIG_ARCH_BINFMT_ELF_RANDOMIZE_PIE enabled, and a normal top-down address allocation strategy, load_elf_binary() will attempt to map a PIE binary into an address range immediately below mm->mmap_base. Unfortunately, load_elf_ binary() does not take account of the need to allocate sufficient space for the entire binary which means that, while the first PT_LOAD segment is mapped below mm->mmap_base, the subsequent PT_LOAD segment(s) end up being mapped above mm->mmap_base into the are that is supposed to be the "gap" between the stack and the binary.
7.8
10.7%
Vector breakdown
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Published
- Oct 4, 2017
- Modified
- Oct 21, 2025
- Added to KEV
- Sep 9, 2024
- Federal patch due
- Sep 30, 2024
CISA required action
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Weakness classification
Proof-of-concept & exploitation references
Weaponization
Public repositories whose name or description references CVE-2017-1000253, found via a live GitHub search at request time. These are community-sourced signals, not a verified working exploit - cross-check each one before relying on it, and treat higher star counts and recent activity as (weak) corroboration, not proof.
No public GitHub repositories referencing CVE-2017-1000253 were found at last check. Absence here is not proof no exploit exists - see the references below for vendor advisories and write-ups.
References
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2017-1000253?
Linux distributions that have not patched their long-term kernels with https://git.kernel.org/linus/a87938b2e246b81b4fb713edb371a9fa3c5c3c86 (committed on April 14, 2015). This kernel vulnerability was fixed in April 2015 by commit a87938b2e246b81b4fb713edb371a9fa3c5c3c86 (backported to Linux 3.10.77 in May 2015), but it was not recognized as a security threat. With CONFIG_ARCH_BINFMT_ELF_RANDOMIZE_PIE enabled, and a normal top-down address allocation strategy, load_elf_binary() will attempt to map a PIE binary into an address range immediately below mm->mmap_base. Unfortunately, load_elf_ binary() does not take account of the need to allocate sufficient space for the entire binary which means that, while the first PT_LOAD segment is mapped below mm->mmap_base, the subsequent PT_LOAD segment(s) end up being mapped above mm->mmap_base into the are that is supposed to be the "gap" between the stack and the binary.
How severe is CVE-2017-1000253?
CVE-2017-1000253 has a CVSS base score of 7.8 out of 10 (CVSS 3.1).
Is CVE-2017-1000253 actively exploited in the wild?
Yes. CVE-2017-1000253 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added Sep 9, 2024, meaning CISA has confirmed evidence of active exploitation. It is also flagged as used in ransomware campaigns.
What is the EPSS score for CVE-2017-1000253?
10.7% - meaning FIRST.org's EPSS model estimates a 10.7% probability this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within 30 days (95% percentile among all scored CVEs).
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2017-1000253?
CVE-2017-1000253 is classified under CWE-119 (CWE-119 Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer).
Cross-checked against
Impactr finds and proves whether CVE-2017-1000253 - or flaws like it - are actually reachable in your own web apps and APIs, with a reproducible exploit as evidence.
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