--- title: "CVE-2012-6704\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-2012-6704?format=md keywords: index, follow --- # CVE-2012-6704 Publication date 28 December 2016 Last updated 4 July 2026 --- Ubuntu priority **Low** [Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority ) ## Cvss 3 Severity Score **7.8 · High** [Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2012-6704?format=md#impact-score) Toggle side navigation ## Description The sock\_setsockopt function in net/core/sock.c in the Linux kernel before 3.5 mishandles negative values of sk\_sndbuf and sk\_rcvbuf, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and system crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact by leveraging the CAP\_NET\_ADMIN capability for a crafted setsockopt system call with the (1) SO\_SNDBUF or (2) SO\_RCVBUF option. [Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2012-6704?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 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | linux-armadaxp | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | 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-flo | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | 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 | Ignored end of life | | 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-grouper | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | 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 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | linux-linaro-shared | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | linux-linaro-vexpress | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | linux-lts-quantal | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | linux-lts-raring | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | linux-lts-saucy | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | linux-lts-trusty | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected | | linux-lts-utopic | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | 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 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | 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 | | 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 | | 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 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-mako | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | linux-manta | 17.04 zesty | Not in release | | 16.10 yakkety | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | 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 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | | linux-raspi2 | 17.04 zesty | Not affected | | 16.10 yakkety | Not affected | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected | | 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 | | 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 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | --- * [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-2012-6704?format=md#patch-details) ## Notes --- ### [sbeattie](https://launchpad.net/~sbeattie) it's not possible to exploit this via unprivileged SO\_SNDBUF/SO\_RCVBUF setsockopt() calls, as passing a signed value that is negative but when multiplied by 2 turns positive first gets compared against the unsigned int sysctl\_wmem\_max value to see if its larger than that. Because sysctl\_wmem\_max is unsigned, the compiler treats the value passed as unsigned, and thus a "negative" value turns into a large positive value, and runs afoul of this check. ### 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 [1da177e](https://git.kernel.org/linus/1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2), fixed by [8298193](https://git.kernel.org/linus/82981930125abfd39d7c8378a9cfdf5e1be2002b) | ## Severity score breakdown CVSS version: CVSS v3.0 **Base score** 7.8 · High * Base metrics | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Attack vector | Local | | Attack complexity | Low | | Privileges required | Low | | User interaction | None | | Scope | Unchanged | | Confidentiality impact | High | | Integrity impact | High | | Availability impact | High | * Scores | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Base score | 7.8 · High | | Exploitability score | - | | Impact score | - | **Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H ## References * [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-6704) * [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-6704) * [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2012-6704) * [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2012-6704) ### Other references * *