Explain CVE-2004-0427
The do_fork function in Linux 2.4.x before 2.4.26, and 2.6.x before 2.6.6, does not properly decrement the mm_count counter when an error occurs after the mm_struct for a child process has been activated, which triggers a memory leak that allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory exhaustion) via the clone (CLONE_VM) system call.
Affected Products: n/a
References: [{'name': '20163', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/20163'}, {'name': 'RHSA-2004:327', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_REDHAT'], 'url': 'http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2004-327.html'}, {'name': '11464', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/11464'}, {'tags': ['x_refsource_MISC'], 'url': 'http://linux.bkbits.net:8080/linux-2.6/cset%40407b1217x4jtqEkpFW2g_-RcF0726A'}, {'name': 'linux-dofork-memory-leak(16002)', 'tags': ['vdb-entry', 'x_refsource_XF'], 'url': 'https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/16002'}, {'name': 'DSA-1082', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_DEBIAN'], 'url': 'http://www.debian.org/security/2006/dsa-1082'}, {'name': 'RHSA-2004:255', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_REDHAT'], 'url': 'http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2004-255.html'}, {'name': 'FEDORA-2004-111', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_FEDORA'], 'url': 'http://fedoranews.org/updates/FEDORA-2004-111.shtml'}, {'name': '11861', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/11861'}, {'name': '[linux-kernel] 20040408 [PATCH]: 2.4/2.6 do_fork() error path memory leak', 'tags': ['mailing-list', 'x_refsource_MLIST'], 'url': 'http://marc.info/?l=linux-kernel&m=108139073506983&w=2'}, {'name': 'RHSA-2004:260', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_REDHAT'], 'url': 'http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2004-260.html'}, {'name': 'SuSE-SA:2004:010', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_SUSE'], 'url': 'http://www.novell.com/linux/security/advisories/2004_10_kernel.html'}, {'name': 'DSA-1070', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_DEBIAN'], 'url': 'http://www.debian.org/security/2006/dsa-1070'}, {'name': 'oval:org.mitre.oval:def:10297', 'tags': ['vdb-entry', 'signature', 'x_refsource_OVAL'], 'url': 'https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A10297'}, {'name': '20162', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/20162'}, {'name': 'MDKSA-2004:037', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_MANDRAKE'], 'url': 'http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDKSA-2004:037'}, {'name': '11891', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/11891'}, {'name': '11486', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/11486'}, {'name': 'TLSA-2004-14', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_TURBO'], 'url': 'http://www.turbolinux.com/security/2004/TLSA-2004-14.txt'}, {'name': '11541', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/11541'}, {'tags': ['x_refsource_MISC'], 'url': 'http://linux.bkbits.net:8080/linux-2.4/cset%40407bf20eDeeejm8t36_tpvSE-8EFHA'}, {'name': 'DSA-1067', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_DEBIAN'], 'url': 'http://www.debian.org/security/2006/dsa-1067'}, {'name': 'CLA-2004:846', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_CONECTIVA'], 'url': 'http://distro.conectiva.com.br/atualizacoes/?id=a&anuncio=000846'}, {'name': '10221', 'tags': ['vdb-entry', 'x_refsource_BID'], 'url': 'http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/10221'}, {'name': 'DSA-1069', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_DEBIAN'], 'url': 'http://www.debian.org/security/2006/dsa-1069'}, {'name': '20040504-01-U', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_SGI'], 'url': 'ftp://patches.sgi.com/support/free/security/advisories/20040504-01-U.asc'}, {'name': '11429', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/11429'}, {'name': '20040505-01-U', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_SGI'], 'url': 'ftp://patches.sgi.com/support/free/security/advisories/20040505-01-U.asc'}, {'name': 'oval:org.mitre.oval:def:2819', 'tags': ['vdb-entry', 'signature', 'x_refsource_OVAL'], 'url': 'https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A2819'}, {'name': 'O-164', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'government-resource', 'x_refsource_CIAC'], 'url': 'http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletins/o-164.shtml'}, {'name': '20202', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/20202'}, {'name': 'GLSA-200407-02', 'tags': ['vendor-advisory', 'x_refsource_GENTOO'], 'url': 'http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200407-02.xml'}, {'name': '11892', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/11892'}, {'name': '20338', 'tags': ['third-party-advisory', 'x_refsource_SECUNIA'], 'url': 'http://secunia.com/advisories/20338'}]
CVE State: PUBLISHED