CVE-2017-17864
Publication date 27 December 2017
Last updated 25 August 2025
Ubuntu priority
Cvss 3 Severity Score
Description
kernel/bpf/verifier.c in the Linux kernel through 4.14.8 mishandles states_equal comparisons between the pointer data type and the UNKNOWN_VALUE data type, which allows local users to obtain potentially sensitive address information, aka a "pointer leak."
From the Ubuntu Security Team
Jann Horn discovered that the Berkeley Packet Filter (BPF) implementation in the Linux kernel mishandled pointer data values in some situations. A local attacker could use this to to expose sensitive information (kernel memory).
Status
| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status | 
|---|---|---|
| linux | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| linux-armadaxp | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-aws | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| linux-flo | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-gke | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-goldfish | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-grouper | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-hwe | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-hwe-edge | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-linaro-omap | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-linaro-shared | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-linaro-vexpress | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-quantal | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-azure | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| linux-euclid | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-gcp | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-kvm | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-oem | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-wily | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-raring | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-saucy | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-trusty | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-utopic | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-vivid | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-lts-xenial | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| linux-maguro | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-mako | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-manta | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-qcm-msm | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-raspi2 | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-snapdragon | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | 
                                Not affected 
                                
                               | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | |
| linux-ti-omap4 | ||
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | 
Severity score breakdown
| Parameter | Value | 
|---|---|
| Base score |  | 
| Attack vector | Local | 
| Attack complexity | Low | 
| Privileges required | Low | 
| User interaction | None | 
| Scope | Unchanged | 
| Confidentiality | Low | 
| Integrity impact | None | 
| Availability impact | None | 
| Vector | CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N | 
References
Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)
- USN-3523-2
- Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
- 10 January 2018
- USN-3523-1
- Linux kernel vulnerabilities
- 9 January 2018
- USN-3523-3
- Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi 2) vulnerabilities
- 10 January 2018