# CVE-2019-13272: Linux Kernel Improper Privilege Management

> Local attackers can gain root privileges via ptrace mishandling in the Linux kernel, potentially causing system panics.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 10 Dec 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Jul 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2019-13272, DLA-1863-1, DSA-4484-1, GHSA-87j5-gppq-mq6h, UBUNTU-CVE-2019-13272

## What is CVE-2019-13272?

CVE-2019-13272 is a high-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 17 Jul 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the Linux kernel before 5.1.17, ptrace_link in kernel/ptrace.c mishandles the recording of the credentials of a process that wants to create a ptrace relationship, which allows local users to obtain root access by leveraging certain scenarios with a parent-child process relationship, where a parent drops privileges and calls execve (potentially allowing control by an attacker). One contributing factor is an object lifetime issue (which can also cause a panic). Another contributing factor is incorrect marking of a ptrace relationship as privileged, which is exploitable through (for example) Polkit's pkexec helper with PTRACE_TRACEME. NOTE: SELinux deny_ptrace might be a usable workaround in some environments.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-13272?

It affects 22 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Linux kernel, Netapp Active Iq Unified Manager, Netapp Aff A700s Firmware, Netapp E-Series Performance Analyzer, Netapp E-Series Santricity Os Controller, Netapp H410c Firmware, Netapp H610s Firmware, Netapp Hci Compute Node, Netapp Hci Management Node, Netapp Service Processor, Netapp Solidfire, Netapp Steelstore Cloud Integrated Storage, Redhat Enterprise Linux, Redhat Enterprise Linux for Arm 64, Redhat Enterprise Linux for Ibm Z Systems, Redhat Enterprise Linux for Real Time, Redhat Enterprise Linux for Real Time for Nfv and 2 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-13272?

Apply the vendor's patch. US federal agencies must fix it by 10 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-13272 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-13272 in the wild since at least 10 Dec 2021.

Public exploit code:

- Linux 4.10 < 5.1.17 PTRACE_TRACEME local root (github_poc): https://github.com/jas502n/CVE-2019-13272
- The exploit for CVE-2019-13272 (github_poc): https://github.com/Cyc1eC/CVE-2019-13272
- linux 提权 (github_poc): https://github.com/oneoy/CVE-2019-13272
- Local Root vulnerability- CVE-2019-13272 / Security Bypass Vulnerability – CVE-2019-14287/Google Android - 'Stagefright' Remote Code Execution - CVE-2015-1538 (github_poc): https://github.com/Tharana/vulnerability-exploitation
- This is a Python 3 version of this exploit. Hope it works!!! (github_poc): https://github.com/josemlwdf/CVE-2019-13272
- Es una vulnerabilidad para escalar privilegios en linux. (github_poc): https://github.com/MDS1GNAL/ptrace_scope-CVE-2019-13272-privilege-escalation

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-13272 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-13272 is a high-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 17 Jul 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-13272 in the wild since at least 10 Dec 2021.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. 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-2019-13272/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-13272/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-13272
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-13272
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-13272

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-13272/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.