What is CVE-2012-0056?

The mem_write function in the Linux kernel before 3.2.2, when ASLR is disabled, does not properly check permissions when writing to /proc/ /mem, which allows local users to gain privileges by modifying process memory, as demonstrated by Mempodipper.

Is CVE-2012-0056 being actively exploited?

CVE-2012-0056 is not currently listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog.

What is the CVSS score for CVE-2012-0056?

CVE-2012-0056 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.9 (MEDIUM).

CVE-2012-0056

MEDIUM · CVSS 6.9EPSS 10.8%EU EUVD

The mem_write function in the Linux kernel before 3.2.2, when ASLR is disabled, does not properly check permissions when writing to /proc/<pid>/mem, which allows local users to gain privileges by modifying process memory, as demonstrated by Mempodipper.

Key facts

CVSS score: 6.9 (v2.0)
Severity: MEDIUM
CVSS vector: AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Weakness (CWE): CWE-264
EPSS score: 10.8% (96th percentile)
In CISA KEV: No
In EU EUVD: Yes (EUVD-2012-0094)
Published: January 27, 2012
NVD last modified: June 16, 2026
Status: Modified

EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD)

This vulnerability is also tracked by ENISA as EUVD-2012-0094 in the EU Vulnerability Database. Last updated in EUVD on August 6, 2024.

View on the EU Vulnerability Database

Affected products

linux / linux kernel

References

http://blog.zx2c4.com/749(Third Party Advisory)
http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commitdiff%3Bh=e268337dfe26dfc7efd422a804dbb27977a3cccc(Vendor Advisory)
http://secunia.com/advisories/47708(Broken Link)
http://ubuntu.com/usn/usn-1336-1(Third Party Advisory)
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/470151(Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource)
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.2.2(Vendor Advisory)
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/01/18/1(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/01/18/2(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/01/19/4(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/01/22/4(Mailing List, Third Party Advisory)
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2012-0052.html(Third Party Advisory)
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2012-0061.html(Third Party Advisory)
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/51625(Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=782642(Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory)

Last updated September 17, 2026 · Source: NVD, CISA KEV, FIRST.org EPSS

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