# CVE-2015-8844: Denial of service in n/a

> Local users can cause a denial of service via a crafted application on powerpc platforms due to missing MSR bit checks in the signal implementation.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Apr 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2015-8844, GHSA-qhfv-w8w8-3r26, UBUNTU-CVE-2015-8844

## What is CVE-2015-8844?

CVE-2015-8844 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Apr 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The signal implementation in the Linux kernel before 4.3.5 on powerpc platforms does not check for an MSR with both the S and T bits set, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (TM Bad Thing exception and panic) via a crafted application.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-8844?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-8844?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2015-8844 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-8844 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-2015-8844 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-8844 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 27 Apr 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-8844 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-2015-8844/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-8844/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-8844
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-8844
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-8844

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-8844/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.