--- title: "CVE-2015-2666\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-2015-2666?format=md keywords: index, follow --- # CVE-2015-2666 Publication date 25 March 2015 Last updated 4 July 2026 --- Ubuntu priority **Medium** [Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority ) Toggle side navigation ## Description Stack-based buffer overflow in the get\_matching\_model\_microcode function in arch/x86/kernel/cpu/microcode/intel\_early.c in the Linux kernel before 4.0 allows context-dependent attackers to gain privileges by constructing a crafted microcode header and leveraging root privileges for write access to the initrd. ### From the Ubuntu Security Team A stack overflow was discovered in the the microcode loader for the intel x86 platform. A local attacker could exploit this flaw to cause a denial of service (kernel crash) or to potentially execute code with kernel privileges. [Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-2666?format=md#notes) ## Status Show unmaintained releases | Package | Ubuntu Release | Status | | --- | --- | --- | | linux-goldfish | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-grouper | 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-maguro | 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 | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-manta | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-flo | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Not affected | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-lts-vivid | 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 | 15.10 wily | Not affected | | 15.04 vivid | Not affected | | 14.10 utopic | Fixed 3.16.0-36.48 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 3.13.0-51.84 | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not affected | | linux-armadaxp | 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 affected | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-ec2 | 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-fsl-imx51 | 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-linaro-omap | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 affected | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-lts-raring | 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 | 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 | 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 3.13.0-51.84~precise1 | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-lts-utopic | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.10 utopic | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 3.16.0-36.48~14.04.1 | | 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release | | 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release | | linux-mvl-dove | 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 | 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 | 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-ti-omap4 | 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 affected | | 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-2015-2666?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 14.10 and earlier preview kernels linux-lts-saucy no longer receives official support linux-lts-quantal no longer receives official support --- ### [sbeattie](https://launchpad.net/~sbeattie) introduced in https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=ec400ddeff200b068ddc6c70f7321f49ecf32ed5 (v3.9-rc1) ### 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 [ec400dd](https://git.kernel.org/linus/ec400ddeff200b068ddc6c70f7321f49ecf32ed5), fixed by [f84598b](https://git.kernel.org/linus/f84598bd7c851f8b0bf8cd0d7c3be0d73c432ff4) | ## References * [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2015-2666) * [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-2666) * [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2015-2666) * [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2015-2666) ### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) + [USN-2587-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2587-1) + Linux kernel (Trusty HWE) vulnerabilities + 30 April 2015 + [USN-2590-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2590-1) + Linux kernel vulnerabilities + 30 April 2015 + [USN-2588-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2588-1) + Linux kernel vulnerabilities + 30 April 2015 + [USN-2589-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2589-1) + Linux kernel (Utopic HWE) vulnerabilities + 30 April 2015 ### Other references * *