CVE-2011-2189

CVE-2011-2189 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 18% places it in the 97th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-400.

Key facts

Description

net/core/net_namespace.c in the Linux kernel 2.6.32 and earlier does not properly handle a high rate of creation and cleanup of network namespaces, which makes it easier for remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via requests to a daemon that requires a separate namespace per connection, as demonstrated by vsftpd.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2011-2189?
net/core/net_namespace.c in the Linux kernel 2.6.32 and earlier does not properly handle a high rate of creation and cleanup of network namespaces, which makes it easier for remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via requests to a daemon that requires a separate namespace per connection, as demonstrated by vsftpd.
How severe is CVE-2011-2189?
CVE-2011-2189 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2011-2189 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 18% (97th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2011-2189?
CVE-2011-2189 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 10 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2011-2189?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2011-2189 published?
CVE-2011-2189 was published on 2011-10-10 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (10)

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