# CVE-2016-10150: Use after free in n/a

> Local attackers can crash the host OS or potentially escalate privileges via crafted ioctl calls to the KVM device in the Linux kernel.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Feb 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2016-10150, GHSA-44w7-mm9p-xc7h, UBUNTU-CVE-2016-10150

## What is CVE-2016-10150?

CVE-2016-10150 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 6 Feb 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Use-after-free vulnerability in the kvm_ioctl_create_device function in virt/kvm/kvm_main.c in the Linux kernel before 4.8.13 allows host OS users to cause a denial of service (host OS crash) or possibly gain privileges via crafted ioctl calls on the /dev/kvm device.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free), CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-10150?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-10150?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2016-10150 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-10150 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-2016-10150 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-10150 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 6 Feb 2017. 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-2016-10150 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-2016-10150/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10150/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-10150
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10150
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-10150

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-10150/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.