Linux Kernel Race Condition Vulnerability

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

• cpe canonical/ubuntu linux12.04
• cpe canonical/ubuntu linux14.04
• cpe canonical/ubuntu linux16.04
• cpe canonical/ubuntu linux16.10
• cpe debian/debian linux7.0
• cpe fedoraproject/fedora23
• cpe linux/linux kernelversion unspecified
• cpe paloaltonetworks/pan-osversion unspecified
• cpe redhat/enterprise linux5
• vendor Linux Kernelversion unspecified

How to fix CVE-2016-5195

• Recommended remediation

  Apply updates per vendor instructions. CISA due date Mar 24, 2022.

• Official advisories

  • CISA KEV · cisa.gov
  • CVE.org · cve.org
  • FIRST EPSS · first.org
  • NIST NVD · nvd.nist.gov
  • VulnCheck KEV · vulncheck.com

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Technology hubs

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

• Repository · git.kernel.org

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

1. Nov 10, 2016 · Catalog

   Detected

   Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect handling of a copy-on-write (COW) feature to write to a read-only memory mapping, as exploited in the wild in October 2016, aka "Dirty COW."

2. Mar 3, 2022 · CISA KEV

   Known exploited

   Apply updates per vendor instructions.

3. Mar 24, 2022 · CISA KEV

   Remediation due

   Apply updates per vendor instructions.

4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

   Updated

   Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect handling of a copy-on-write (COW) feature to write to a read-only memory mapping, as exploited in the wild in October 2016, aka "Dirty COW."

Sources

• CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2016-5195

  Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel allows local users to escalate privileges.

  cisa.gov
• CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2016-5195

  Official CVE identifier

  cve.org
• FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2016-5195

  30-day exploitation probability 83.5%

  first.org
• Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference40616

  Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

  exploit-db.com
• Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference40838

  Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

  exploit-db.com
• Exploit DatabasePublic exploit reference40847

  Public archive entry. The exploit body is not stored here.

  exploit-db.com
• NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2016-5195

  Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel 2.x through 4.x before 4.8.3 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging incorrect handling of a copy-on-write (COW) feature to write to a read-only memory mapping, as exploited in the wild in October 2016, aka "Dirty COW."

  nvd.nist.gov
• VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2016-5195

  Race condition in mm/gup.c in the Linux kernel allows local users to escalate privileges.

  vulncheck.com

References

• Third Party Advisory · fortiguard.com
• Issue Tracking · git.kernel.org
• Third Party Advisory · kb.juniper.net
• Third Party Advisory · kb.juniper.net
• Third Party Advisory · kb.juniper.net
• Mailing List · lists.opensuse.org
• Mailing List · lists.opensuse.org
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · dl.acm.org
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · docs.google.com
• CISA note · nvd.nist.gov
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · nvd.nist.gov
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · akamai.com
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · cisa.gov
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · cve.org

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 17, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.