# CVE-2017-9211: Null dereference in n/a

> Local attackers can cause a denial of service via a NULL pointer dereference in the Linux kernel's crypto subsystem due to missing key-size checks.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **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:** 23 May 2017
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-9211, GHSA-x4xp-29gp-7qw9, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-9211

## What is CVE-2017-9211?

CVE-2017-9211 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 23 May 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The crypto_skcipher_init_tfm function in crypto/skcipher.c in the Linux kernel through 4.11.2 relies on a setkey function that lacks a key-size check, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via a crafted application.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-9211?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-9211?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2017-9211 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-9211 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-2017-9211 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-9211 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 23 May 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-9211 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-2017-9211/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9211/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-9211
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-9211
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-9211

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-9211/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.