CVE-2016-5828

Publication date 27 June 2016

Last updated 25 August 2025

Ubuntu priority

Medium

Why this priority?

Cvss 3 Severity Score

7.8 · High

Score breakdown

Description

The start_thread function in arch/powerpc/kernel/process.c in the Linux kernel through 4.6.3 on powerpc platforms mishandles transactional state, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (invalid process state or TM Bad Thing exception, and system crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact by starting and suspending a transaction before an exec system call.

From the Ubuntu Security Team

Cyril Bur discovered that on PowerPC platforms, the Linux kernel mishandled transactional memory state on exec(). A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of service (system crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code.

Read the notes from the security team

Status

Package Ubuntu Release Status
linux-armadaxp 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
linux-aws 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty
Not affected
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-flo 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-gke 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-goldfish 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-grouper 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-hwe 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-hwe-edge 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-linaro-vexpress 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-quantal 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-raring 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-saucy 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-lts-trusty 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise
Fixed 3.13.0-95.142~precise1
linux-lts-utopic 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-vivid 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 3.19.0-68.76~14.04.1
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-wily 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-lts-xenial 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 4.4.0-36.55~14.04.1
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-maguro 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-mako 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-manta 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-qcm-msm 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-raspi2 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-1021.27
15.10 wily Ignored end of life
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux-snapdragon 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-1024.27
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Not in release
linux 16.10 yakkety
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-36.55
15.10 wily Ignored end of life
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 3.13.0-95.142
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected
linux-linaro-omap 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-linaro-shared 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise Ignored end of life
linux-ti-omap4 16.10 yakkety Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
15.10 wily Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
12.04 LTS precise
Not affected

Notes

jdstrand

android kernels (flo, goldfish, grouper, maguro, mako and manta) are not supported on the Ubuntu Touch 14.10 and earlier preview kernels linux-lts-saucy no longer receives official support linux-lts-quantal no longer receives official support

Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. How can I get the fixes?

Package Patch details
linux

Severity score breakdown

Parameter Value
Base score 7.8 · High
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required Low
User interaction None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality High
Integrity impact High
Availability impact High
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

References

Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

    • USN-3070-1
    • Linux kernel vulnerabilities
    • 29 August 2016
    • USN-3070-2
    • Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi 2) vulnerabilities
    • 30 August 2016
    • USN-3071-1
    • Linux kernel vulnerabilities
    • 29 August 2016
    • USN-3071-2
    • Linux kernel (Trusty HWE) vulnerabilities
    • 29 August 2016
    • USN-3070-3
    • Linux kernel (Qualcomm Snapdragon) vulnerabilities
    • 30 August 2016
    • USN-3070-4
    • Linux kernel (Xenial HWE) vulnerabilities
    • 30 August 2016

Other references