#VU95656 Null pointer dereference in Linux kernel - CVE-2004-0596

Vulnerability identifier: #VU95656

Vulnerability risk: Low

CVSSv4.0: 1.1 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear]

CVE-ID: CVE-2004-0596

CWE-ID: CWE-476

Exploitation vector: Local

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
Linux kernel
Operating systems & Components / Operating system

Vendor: Linux Foundation

Description

The vulnerability allows a local user to perform service disruption.

The Equalizer Load-balancer for serial network interfaces (eql.c) in Linux kernel 2.6.x up to 2.6.7 allows local users to cause a denial of service via a non-existent device name that triggers a null dereference.

Mitigation
Install update from vendor's repository.

Vulnerable software versions

Linux kernel: All versions

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External links
https://linux.bkbits.net:8080/linux-2.6/cset@40d4aa72hPLWy-jMLr0eJAXMxHcNZg
https://www.securityfocus.com/bid/10730
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/16694

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

No. This vulnerability can be exploited locally. The attacker should have authentication credentials and successfully authenticate on the system.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.