CVE-2016-6198: linux linux_kernel Improper Access Control
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2016-6198 is a medium (CVSS 5.5) Improper Access Control vulnerability in linux linux_kernel. EPSS estimates a 0.64% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 50.6% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.
Not severe (CVSS 5.5, local access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 4Timeline
- 06-08-2016PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 06-08-2024Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
The filesystem layer in the Linux kernel before 4.5.5 proceeds with post-rename operations after an OverlayFS file is renamed to a self-hardlink, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) via a rename system call, related to fs/namei.c and fs/open.c.
CVSS metrics
4 scores · 3 sources · 2 versions- OSV · UbuntuEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- OSV · DebianEcosystem advisory · calculated5.5MediumCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
EPSS trend
Probability
0.64%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
51%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 0.64% on 04-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
1 foundExploit Reference (openwall.com)
Maturity: unknown
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Known conditions: local access, low-privilege account, no user interaction (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Ubuntu18 products
- linuxAll versions (No fix recorded) | < 4.4.0-28.47
- linux-azure-6.11All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-azure-fdeAll versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-azure-fde-5.15All versions (No fix recorded)
- linux-gcp-6.11All versions (No fix recorded)
Debian1 product
- linux< 4.5.5-1
Linux1 product
- linux_kernel≤ 4.5.4
4 vendors · 22 products
References
20 links- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.htmlX Refsource CONFIRMVendor Advisory
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinjul2016-3090544.htmlX Refsource CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/9409e22acdfc9153f88d9b1ed2bd2a5b34d2d3caX Refsource CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatch
Show all 20 references
- github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/54d5ca871e72f2bb172ec9323497f01cd5091ec7X Refsource CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatch
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/07/11/8Mailing ListX Refsource MLISTExploitThird Party Advisory
