How severe is CVE-2017-18261?

CVE-2017-18261 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-2017-18261 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (25th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-18261?

CVE-2017-18261 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-18261?

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

When was CVE-2017-18261 published?

CVE-2017-18261 was published on 2018-04-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-18261

CVE-2017-18261 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-835.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 4.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (25th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-835
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2018-04-19
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The arch_timer_reg_read_stable macro in arch/arm64/include/asm/arch_timer.h in the Linux kernel before 4.13 allows local users to cause a denial of service (infinite recursion) by writing to a file under /sys/kernel/debug in certain circumstances, as demonstrated by a scenario involving debugfs, ftrace, PREEMPT_TRACER, and FUNCTION_GRAPH_TRACER.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-18261?: The arch_timer_reg_read_stable macro in arch/arm64/include/asm/arch_timer.h in the Linux kernel before 4.13 allows local users to cause a denial of service (infinite recursion) by writing to a file under /sys/kernel/debug in certain circumstances, as demonstrated by a scenario involving debugfs, ftrace, PREEMPT_TRACER, and FUNCTION_GRAPH_TRACER.
How severe is CVE-2017-18261?: CVE-2017-18261 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-2017-18261 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (25th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-18261?: CVE-2017-18261 affects Linux Linux Kernel. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-18261?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2017-18261 published?: CVE-2017-18261 was published on 2018-04-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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

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