Assessment
Why it matters
CISA lists this vulnerability as known to be exploited; exploitation is confirmed; EPSS is 22.5%; technical severity is CVSS 5.5.
The n_tty_write function in drivers/tty/n_tty.c in the Linux kernel through 3.14.3 does not properly manage tty driver access in the "LECHO & !OPOST" case, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and system crash) or gain privileges by triggering a race condition involving read and write operations with long strings.
Who should care
- Teams operating Ubuntu Linux, Debian Linux, Big-ip Access Policy Manager +28 more
- Vulnerability and exposure management teams
- Security operations teams monitoring exploitation activity
Response plan
What I would do
- Confirm whether Ubuntu Linux, Debian Linux, Big-ip Access Policy Manager +28 more is present in the environment.
- Identify affected versions and establish whether vulnerable services are exposed or reachable.
- Red Hat Security patch Show Bug.cgi
- Review relevant security telemetry for evidence of attempted or successful exploitation.
- Document the remediation decision and track it to verified completion.
Treatment intelligence
Remediation intelligence
Vendor sources are listed before government and third-party guidance. Confirm product applicability and change prerequisites before deployment.
Verification noteAutomated link verification has not completed for this guidance yet.
Patch
Advisory
Technical details
- CVSS vector
- CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CWE
- CWE-362
- Affected versions
- Canonical Ubuntu Linux (Version 10.04 | Version 12.04 | Version 12.10 | Version 13.10); Debian Debian Linux (Version 6.0 | Version 7.0); F5 Big-ip Access Policy Manager (Start Including 11.1.0, End Including 11.5.1); F5 Big-ip Advanced Firewall Manager (Start Including 11.3.0, End Including 11.5.1); F5 Big-ip Analytics (Start Including 11.1.0, End Including 11.5.1); F5 Big-ip Application Acceleration Manager (Start Including 11.4.0, End Including 11.5.1); F5 Big-ip Application Security Manager (Start Including 11.1.0, End Including 11.5.1); F5 Big-ip Edge Gateway (Start Including 11.1.0, End Including 11.3.0)
- Fixed versions
- Linux Linux Kernel (Fixed from 3.2.59, 3.4.91, 3.10.40, 3.12.20, 3.14.4)
- Published
- 7 May 2014
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
Signal timeline
- CVE published
- Added to CISA KEV
- Latest EPSS score: 22.5%
- Signal calculated at 70
External references
- Oracle Third-party advisory ELSA 2014 0771
- Red Hat Third-party advisory RHSA 2014 0512
- Ubuntu Third-party advisory USN-2196-1
- Ubuntu Third-party advisory USN-2197-1
- Ubuntu Third-party advisory USN-2198-1
- Ubuntu Third-party advisory USN-2199-1
- Ubuntu Third-party advisory USN-2200-1
- Ubuntu Third-party advisory USN-2201-1
- Ubuntu Third-party advisory USN-2202-1
- Ubuntu Third-party advisory USN-2203-1
- Ubuntu Third-party advisory USN-2204-1
- CISA Government advisory CVE-2014-0196