--- title: "CVE-2015-8816\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-2015-8816?format=md keywords: index, follow --- # CVE-2015-8816 Publication date 27 April 2016 Last updated 4 July 2026 --- Ubuntu priority **Medium** [Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority ) ## Cvss 3 Severity Score **6.8 · Medium** [Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-8816?format=md#impact-score) Toggle side navigation ## Description The hub\_activate function in drivers/usb/core/hub.c in the Linux kernel before 4.3.5 does not properly maintain a hub-interface data structure, which allows physically proximate attackers to cause a denial of service (invalid memory access and system crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact by unplugging a USB hub device. ### From the Ubuntu Security Team Alexandru Cornea discovered that a race condition existed in the USB hub initialization code in the Linux kernel that could lead to a use-after-free. An attacker with physical access could use this to cause a denial of service (system crash). [Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-8816?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 | Fixed 4.2.0-30.35 | | 15.04 vivid | Fixed 3.19.0-51.57 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 3.13.0-79.123 | | 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 3.2.0-99.139 | | 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 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 3.2.0-1662.86 | | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Ignored end of life | | 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life | | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Ignored end of life | | 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life | | 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 | | 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-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 | | 14.04 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 | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 3.13.0-79.123~precise1 | | 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 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 3.16.0-62.82~14.04.1 | | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 3.19.0-51.57~14.04.1 | | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 4.2.0-30.35~14.04.1 | | 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 | | 14.04 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 | | 15.10 wily | Ignored end of life | | 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life | | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Ignored end of life | | 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life | | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Not in release | | 15.04 vivid | 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 | | 15.10 wily | Fixed 4.2.0-1025.32 | | 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 | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 3.2.0-1477.100 | --- * [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-2015-8816?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 ### 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 [8520f38](https://git.kernel.org/linus/8520f38099ccfdac2147a0852f84ee7a8ee5e197), fixed by [e50293e](https://git.kernel.org/linus/e50293ef9775c5f1cf3fcc093037dd6a8c5684ea) | ## Severity score breakdown CVSS version: CVSS v3.0 **Base score** 6.8 · Medium * Base metrics | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Attack vector | Physical | | Attack complexity | Low | | Privileges required | None | | User interaction | None | | Scope | Unchanged | | Confidentiality impact | High | | Integrity impact | High | | Availability impact | High | * Scores | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Base score | 6.8 · Medium | | Exploitability score | - | | Impact score | - | **Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H ## References * [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2015-8816) * [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-8816) * [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2015-8816) * [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2015-8816) ### Other references * *