# CVE-2002-2016: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code by exploiting unrestricted access to kernel address space in User-mode Linux.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Jul 2005
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2002-2016, GHSA-q58j-xg5m-x6rj

## What is CVE-2002-2016?

CVE-2002-2016 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Jul 2005. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

User-mode Linux (UML) 2.4.17-8 does not restrict access to kernel address space, which allows local users to execute arbitrary code.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2002-2016?

It affects 1 product.


Products: User-Mode Linux User-Mode Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2002-2016?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2002-2016 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2002-2016 exists.

Public exploit code:

- User-Mode Linux (Linux Kernel 2.4.17-8) - Memory Access Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2002-2016 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2002-2016 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 14 Jul 2005. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2002-2016 exists.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-2016/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-2016/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2002-2016
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2002-2016
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2002-2016

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-2016/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.