How severe is CVE-2017-15951?

CVE-2017-15951 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-15951 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (33rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-15951?

CVE-2017-15951 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-15951?

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-2017-15951 published?

CVE-2017-15951 was published on 2017-10-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-15951

CVE-2017-15951 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-20.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (33rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2017-10-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The KEYS subsystem in the Linux kernel before 4.13.10 does not correctly synchronize the actions of updating versus finding a key in the "negative" state to avoid a race condition, which allows local users to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted system calls.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-15951?: The KEYS subsystem in the Linux kernel before 4.13.10 does not correctly synchronize the actions of updating versus finding a key in the "negative" state to avoid a race condition, which allows local users to cause a denial of service or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted system calls.
How severe is CVE-2017-15951?: CVE-2017-15951 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-15951 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (33rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-15951?: CVE-2017-15951 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-15951?: 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-2017-15951 published?: CVE-2017-15951 was published on 2017-10-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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

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