How severe is CVE-2006-5331?

CVE-2006-5331 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2006-5331 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2006-5331?

CVE-2006-5331 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2006-5331?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2006-5331 published?

CVE-2006-5331 was published on 2017-10-29 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2006-5331

CVE-2006-5331 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-19.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (35th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-19
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2017-10-29
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The altivec_unavailable_exception function in arch/powerpc/kernel/traps.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.19 on 64-bit systems mishandles the case where CONFIG_ALTIVEC is defined and the CPU actually supports Altivec, but the Altivec support was not detected by the kernel, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (panic) by triggering execution of an Altivec instruction.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2006-5331?: The altivec_unavailable_exception function in arch/powerpc/kernel/traps.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.19 on 64-bit systems mishandles the case where CONFIG_ALTIVEC is defined and the CPU actually supports Altivec, but the Altivec support was not detected by the kernel, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (panic) by triggering execution of an Altivec instruction.
How severe is CVE-2006-5331?: CVE-2006-5331 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2006-5331 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2006-5331?: CVE-2006-5331 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2006-5331?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2006-5331 published?: CVE-2006-5331 was published on 2017-10-29 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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