CVE-2017-17052 Use after free in n/a

What is CVE-2017-17052?

CVE-2017-17052 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 29 Nov 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

The mm_init function in kernel/fork.c in the Linux kernel before 4.12.10 does not clear the ->exe_file member of a new process's mm_struct, allowing a local attacker to achieve a use-after-free or possibly have unspecified other impact by running a specially crafted program.

Weakness: CWE-416

Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-17052?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Linux kernel.

How do I fix CVE-2017-17052?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.

Is CVE-2017-17052 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-17052 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

• CVE-2026-53266 Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2013-6282 Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation Exploited High 8.8
• CVE-2022-0185 Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2013-2094 Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation Exploited High 8.4
• CVE-2026-53362 Linux Kernel Unspecified Exploited High 7.8

All Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2017-17052, GHSA-5mx2-ppx6-jrqv, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-17052.