--- title: CVE-2012-1179 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-2012-1179 --- # CVE-2012-1179 Publication date 23 April 2012 Last updated 4 July 2026 --- Ubuntu priority **Medium** [Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority ) Toggle side navigation ## Description The Linux kernel before 3.3.1, when KVM is used, allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (host OS crash) by leveraging administrative access to the guest OS, related to the pmd\_none\_or\_clear\_bad function and page faults for huge pages. A privileged user in the KVM guest can use this flaw to crash the host. An unprivileged local user could use this flaw to crash the system. ### From the Ubuntu Security Team A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's handling of paged memory. A local unprivileged user, or a privileged user within a KVM guest, could exploit this flaw to crash the system. [Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2012-1179#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 3.0.0-19.32 | | 11.04 natty | Not affected | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not affected | | linux-armadaxp | 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 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-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 | | 10.04 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 | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Ignored end of life | | 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-linaro-omap | 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 affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | 11.10 oneiric | Ignored end of life | | 11.04 natty | Ignored end of life | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-linaro-shared | 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 affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | 11.10 oneiric | Ignored end of life | | 11.04 natty | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-linaro-vexpress | 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 affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | 11.10 oneiric | Ignored end of life | | 11.04 natty | Ignored end of life | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | 8.04 LTS hardy | 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 | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Ignored end of life | | 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 | | 10.04 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 | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Fixed 3.0.0-19.32~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 | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Ignored end of life | | 8.04 LTS hardy | Not in release | | linux-qcm-msm | 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 affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | 11.10 oneiric | Ignored end of life | | 11.04 natty | Ignored end of life | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Ignored end of life | | 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 3.0.0-1209.20 | | 11.04 natty | 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-2012-1179#patch-details) ## Notes --- ### [jdstrand](https://launchpad.net/~jdstrand) linux-armadaxp is maintained by OEM --- ### [apw](https://launchpad.net/~apw) this is only tickled when a page is converted to a transparent hugepage this support was introduced after maverick, natty is not affected as transparent huge pages are off in the configuration. ### 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 [4c76d9d](https://git.kernel.org/linus/4c76d9d1fb9b21fa10c9e4c1fab2875018a88aa1), fixed by [1a5a990](https://git.kernel.org/linus/1a5a9906d4e8d1976b701f889d8f35d54b928f25) | ## References * [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-1179) * [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-1179) * [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2012-1179) * [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2012-1179) ### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) + [USN-1433-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1433-1) + Linux kernel (Oneiric backport) vulnerabilities + 1 May 2012 + [USN-1446-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1446-1) + Linux kernel (OMAP4) vulnerabilities + 18 May 2012 + [USN-1431-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-1431-1) + Linux kernel vulnerabilities + 1 May 2012 ### Other references *