---
title: "CVE-2013-7421\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-2013-7421?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2013-7421

Publication date 31 December 2013

Last updated 4 July 2026

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

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## Description

The Crypto API in the Linux kernel before 3.18.5 allows local users to load
arbitrary kernel modules via a bind system call for an AF\_ALG socket with a
module name in the salg\_name field, a different vulnerability than
CVE-2014-9644.

### From the Ubuntu Security Team

A flaw was discovered in the automatic loading of modules in the crypto
subsystem of the Linux kernel. A local user could exploit this flaw to load
installed kernel modules, increasing the attack surface and potentially
using this to gain administrative privileges.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2013-7421?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 | Fixed 3.16.0-33.44 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 3.13.0-48.80 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 3.2.0-77.112 |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 3.2.0-1645.64 |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected |
| linux-flo | 17.04 zesty | Not in release |
| 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Ignored end of life |
| 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life |
| 14.10 utopic | Ignored end of life |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Ignored end of life |
| 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 |
| 15.10 wily | Ignored end of life |
| 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life |
| 14.10 utopic | Ignored end of life |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | 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 |
| 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release |
| linux-lts-quantal | 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 | Ignored end of life, was pending |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release |
| linux-lts-raring | 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 | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release |
| linux-lts-saucy | 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 | Ignored end of life, was pending |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 3.13.0-48.80~precise1 |
| 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 | Fixed 3.16.0-33.44~14.04.1 |
| 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 |
| 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 | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Ignored end of life |
| 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life |
| 14.10 utopic | Ignored end of life |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | 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 | Ignored end of life |
| 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life |
| 14.10 utopic | Ignored end of life |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Ignored end of life |
| 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Ignored end of life |
| 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 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 3.2.0-1460.80 |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | 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-2013-7421?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [jdstrand](https://launchpad.net/~jdstrand)

android kernels (flo, goldfish, grouper, maguro, mako and manta) are
not supported on the Ubuntu Touch 14.04 preview kernels
linux-lts-saucy no longer receives official support
linux-lts-quantal no longer receives official support

### 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   [03c8efc](https://git.kernel.org/linus/03c8efc1ffeb6b82a22c1af8dd908af349563314),   fixed by   [5d26a10](https://git.kernel.org/linus/5d26a105b5a73e5635eae0629b42fa0a90e07b7b) * Introduced by   [03c8efc](https://git.kernel.org/linus/03c8efc1ffeb6b82a22c1af8dd908af349563314),   fixed by   [3e14dcf](https://git.kernel.org/linus/3e14dcf7cb80b34a1f38b55bc96f02d23fdaaaaf) |

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2013-7421)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-7421)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2013-7421)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2013-7421)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-2543-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2543-1)
+ Linux kernel (Trusty HWE) vulnerabilities
+ 24 March 2015

+ [USN-2545-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2545-1)
+ Linux kernel (Utopic HWE) vulnerabilities
+ 24 March 2015

+ [USN-2514-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2514-1)
+ Linux kernel (OMAP4) vulnerabilities
+ 26 February 2015

+ [USN-2546-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2546-1)
+ Linux kernel vulnerabilities
+ 24 March 2015

+ [USN-2544-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2544-1)
+ Linux kernel vulnerabilities
+ 24 March 2015

+ [USN-2513-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2513-1)
+ Linux kernel vulnerabilities
+ 26 February 2015

### Other references

* <https://lkml.org/lkml/2013/3/4/70>
* <https://plus.google.com/+MathiasKrause/posts/PqFCo4bfrWu>
* <https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=5d26a105b5a7 (v3.19-rc1)>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2013-7421>
