--- title: "CVE-2012-0056\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-2012-0056?format=md keywords: index, follow --- # CVE-2012-0056 Publication date 19 January 2012 Last updated 4 July 2026 --- Ubuntu priority **Medium** [Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority ) Toggle side navigation ## Description 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. ### From the Ubuntu Security Team Jüri Aedla discovered that the kernel incorrectly handled /proc//mem permissions. A local attacker could exploit this and gain root privileges. [Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2012-0056?format=md#notes) ## Status Show unmaintained releases | Package | Ubuntu Release | Status | | --- | --- | --- | | linux | 17.04 zesty | Not affected | | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected | | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected | | 13.10 saucy | Not affected | | 12.10 quantal | Not affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected | | 11.10 oneiric | Fixed 3.0.0-15.26 | | 11.04 natty | Not affected | | 10.10 maverick | Not affected | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not affected | | linux-aws | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-ec2 | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Not in release | | 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-flo | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Not in release | | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-fsl-imx51 | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Not in release | | 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-gke | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-goldfish | 17.04 zesty | Not affected | | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Ignored | | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-grouper | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Ignored end of life | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Ignored | | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-hwe | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-hwe-edge | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-lts-backport-maverick | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Not in release | | 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-natty | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Not in release | | 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 | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Not in release | | 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 3.0.0-15.26~lucid1 | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-lts-trusty | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-lts-utopic | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-lts-vivid | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-lts-wily | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-lts-xenial | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-maguro | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Ignored | | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-mako | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Ignored | | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-manta | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Ignored | | 12.10 quantal | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-mvl-dove | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Not in release | | 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-raspi2 | 17.04 zesty | Not affected | | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected | | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-snapdragon | 17.04 zesty | Not affected | | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-ti-omap4 | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 13.10 saucy | Not affected | | 12.10 quantal | Not affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected | | 11.10 oneiric | Fixed 3.0.0-1207.16 | | 11.04 natty | Not affected | | 10.10 maverick | Not affected | | 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-2012-0056?format=md#patch-details) ## Notes --- ### [mdeslaur](https://launchpad.net/~mdeslaur) RH says introduced by 198214a7ee, needs checking. --- ### [apw](https://launchpad.net/~apw) as the proposed fix actually changes behaviour significantly and the functionality is very new and thus less likely to be needed it has been decided to revert 198214a for oneiric (the only release affected) and monitor it in precise for release. ### 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 [198214a](https://git.kernel.org/linus/198214a7ee50375fa71a65e518341980cfd4b2f0), fixed by [e268337](https://git.kernel.org/linus/e268337dfe26dfc7efd422a804dbb27977a3cccc) | ## References * [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-0056) * [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-0056) * [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2012-0056) * [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2012-0056) ### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) + [USN-1364-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1364-1) + Linux kernel (OMAP4) vulnerabilities + 13 February 2012 + [USN-1342-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1342-1) + Linux kernel (Oneiric backport) vulnerability + 26 January 2012 + [USN-1336-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1336-1) + Linux kernel vulnerability + 23 January 2012 ### Other references * *