# CVE-2010-2521: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause a kernel panic or execute arbitrary code via crafted NFSv4 WRITE requests due to buffer overflows in the Linux kernel NFS server.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Sep 2010
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-3cv6-6qgh-wmgm, RHSA-2010:0893, RHSA-2010:0907

## What is CVE-2010-2521?

CVE-2010-2521 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 7 Sep 2010. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple buffer overflows in fs/nfsd/nfs4xdr.c in the XDR implementation in the NFS server in the Linux kernel before 2.6.34-rc6 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (panic) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted NFSv4 compound WRITE request, related to the read_buf and nfsd4_decode_compound functions.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2010-2521?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `kernel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-PAE` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-PAE-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-PAE-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debug` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debug-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debug-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debuginfo-common` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-doc` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-headers` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-kdump` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-kdump-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-kdump-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-xen` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-xen-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel-xen-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.3 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-128.26.1.el5 |
| `kernel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-PAE` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-PAE-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-PAE-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debug` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debug-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debug-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-debuginfo-common` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-doc` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-headers` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-kdump` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-kdump-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-kdump-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-xen` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-xen-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |
| `kernel-xen-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:5.4 | All versions | 0:2.6.18-164.30.1.el5 |

Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2010-2521?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2010-2521 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2010-2521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2010-2521 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2010-2521 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 7 Sep 2010. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2010-2521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2010-2521/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2521/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2010-2521
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2010-2521
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2010-2521

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2521/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.
