--- title: "CVE-2010-4250\n | Ubuntu" description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things. url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2010-4250?format=md keywords: index, follow --- # CVE-2010-4250 Publication date 12 January 2012 Last updated 4 July 2026 --- Ubuntu priority **Medium** [Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority ) Toggle side navigation ## Description Memory leak in the inotify\_init1 function in fs/notify/inotify/inotify\_user.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.37 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via vectors involving failed attempts to create files. ### From the Ubuntu Security Team Vegard Nossum discovered a leak in the kernel's inotify\_init() system call. A local, unprivileged user could exploit this to cause a denial of service. [Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2010-4250?format=md#notes) ## Status Show unmaintained releases | Package | Ubuntu Release | Status | | --- | --- | --- | | linux | 12.10 quantal | Not affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected | | 11.10 oneiric | Not affected | | 11.04 natty | Not affected | | 10.10 maverick | Fixed 2.6.35-27.47 | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not affected | | linux-armadaxp | 12.10 quantal | Not affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected | | 11.10 oneiric | Not in release | | 11.04 natty | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-ec2 | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 11.10 oneiric | Not in release | | 11.04 natty | Not in release | | 10.10 maverick | Ignored end of life | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-fsl-imx51 | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 11.10 oneiric | Not in release | | 11.04 natty | Not in release | | 10.10 maverick | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-lts-backport-maverick | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 11.10 oneiric | Not in release | | 11.04 natty | Not in release | | 10.10 maverick | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Fixed 2.6.35-28.50~lucid1 | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-lts-backport-natty | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 11.10 oneiric | Not in release | | 11.04 natty | Not in release | | 10.10 maverick | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-lts-backport-oneiric | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 11.10 oneiric | Not in release | | 11.04 natty | Not in release | | 10.10 maverick | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-mvl-dove | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 11.10 oneiric | Not in release | | 11.04 natty | Not in release | | 10.10 maverick | Not affected | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-ti-omap4 | 12.10 quantal | Not affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected | | 11.10 oneiric | Not affected | | 11.04 natty | Not affected | | 10.10 maverick | Fixed 2.6.35-903.31 | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | --- * [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security) * [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses) * [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2010-4250?format=md#patch-details) ## Notes --- ### [mdeslaur](https://launchpad.net/~mdeslaur) reproducer: http://lkml.org/lkml/2010/11/23/418 --- ### [apw](https://launchpad.net/~apw) identified the introducing commit as: 825f9692fbe417b9fb529477056ba72022847038 ### Patch details For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security) | Package | Patch details | | --- | --- | | linux | * Introduced by [825f969](https://git.kernel.org/linus/825f9692fbe417b9fb529477056ba72022847038), fixed by [a2ae4cc](https://git.kernel.org/linus/a2ae4cc9a16e211c8a128ba10d22a85431f093ab) | ## References * [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2010-4250) * [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-4250) * [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2010-4250) * [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2010-4250) ### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) + [USN-1394-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1394-1) + linux-ti-omap4 vulnerabilities + 7 March 2012 + [USN-1081-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1081-1) + Linux kernel vulnerabilities + 2 March 2011 + [USN-1187-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1187-1) + Linux kernel (Maverick backport) vulnerabilities + 9 August 2011 ### Other references * *