Skip to content
Fencer Vulns
medium 5.5

CVE-2017-18208 json

The madvise_willneed function in mm/madvise.c in the Linux kernel before 4.14.4 allows local users to cause a denial of service (infinite l…

published 2018-03-01 8 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2017-9341

cvss
5.5
version 3.0, NVD
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
0.5%
EPSS 0.5% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 40%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

The madvise_willneed function in mm/madvise.c in the Linux kernel before 4.14.4 allows local users to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) by triggering use of MADVISE_WILLNEED for a DAX mapping.

Patch / fix

  • linux linux_kernel 4.14.4
  • linux Debian 14, Debian 13, Debian 12 4.14.7-1

debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2017-18208

  • linux Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 3.13.0-149.199
  • linux Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 4.4.0-119.143
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 14.04 LTS 4.4.0-1016.16
  • linux-aws Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 4.4.0-1054.63
  • linux-gcp Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 4.13.0-1017.21
  • linux-hwe Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 4.13.0-43.48~16.04.1
  • linux-kvm Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 4.4.0-1020.25
  • linux-oem Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 4.13.0-1028.31

ubuntu advisories UBUNTU-CVE-2017-18208

Ubuntu security data © Canonical Ltd., from https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0

  • kernel-alt RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.el7a
  • perf RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.el7a
  • kernel RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.el7a
  • python-perf RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.el7a
  • kernel-tools RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.el7a
  • kernel-tools-libs RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.el7a
  • kernel-bootwrapper RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.el7a
  • kernel-abi-whitelists RHEL 7 4.14.0-115.el7a

red hat advisories RHSA-2018:2948RHSA-2019:3967RHSA-2019:4058RHSA-2019:4057RHSA-2018:3096RHSA-2018:3083

  • kernel-rt SLE Real Time 11 SP4 3.0.101.rt130-69.24.1
  • kernel-syms-rt SLE Real Time 11 SP4 3.0.101.rt130-69.24.1
  • kernel-rt_trace SLE Real Time 11 SP4 3.0.101.rt130-69.24.1
  • kernel-source-rt SLE Real Time 11 SP4 3.0.101.rt130-69.24.1
  • kernel-ec2 SLES 11 SP3-LTSS, SLE Point of Sale 11 SP3 3.0.101-0.47.106.22.1
  • kernel-pae SLES 11 SP3-LTSS, SLE Point of Sale 11 SP3 3.0.101-0.47.106.22.1
  • kernel-xen SLES 11 SP3-LTSS, SLE Point of Sale 11 SP3 3.0.101-0.47.106.22.1
  • kernel-syms SLES 11 SP3-LTSS, SLE Point of Sale 11 SP3 3.0.101-0.47.106.22.1

suse advisories SUSE-SU-2018:1309-1SUSE-SU-2018:1172-1SUSE-SU-2018:1080-1SUSE-SU-2018:0986-1SUSE-SU-2018:0848-1SUSE-SU-2018:0834-1

Vendor advisories

What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.

red hat product security vex CVE-2017-18208 updated cvss 5.5

kernel: Inifinite loop vulnerability in mm/madvise.c:madvise_willneed() function allows local denial of service

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) perf 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel 3.10.0-957.el7, bpftool 3.10.0-957.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-957.el7, +2 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) perf 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel 3.10.0-957.el7, bpftool 3.10.0-957.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-957.el7, +2 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2018:3083
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.5) perf 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, +1 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:3967
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2018:3083
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.5) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:3967
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) perf 3.10.0-957.el7, perf 4.14.0-115.el7a, kernel 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel 4.14.0-115.el7a, kernel-alt 4.14.0-115.el7a, python-perf 3.10.0-957.el7, +13 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 4.14.0-115.el7a
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2018:3083
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Real Time (v. 7) kernel-rt 3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7, kernel-rt-trace 3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Real Time for NFV (v. 7) kernel-rt 3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7, kernel-rt-kvm 3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7, kernel-rt-trace 3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7, kernel-rt-debug-kvm 3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7, kernel-rt-trace-kvm 3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7, kernel-rt-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.rt56.910.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2018:3096
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) perf 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel 3.10.0-957.el7, bpftool 3.10.0-957.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-kdump 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-957.el7, +7 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2018:3083
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server AUS (v. 7.4) perf 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, +1 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server E4S (v. 7.4) perf 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-bootwrapper 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, +3 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:4058
show 8 more
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.5) perf 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-kdump 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, +6 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:3967
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 3.10.0-957.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2018:3083
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional AUS (v. 7.4) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional E4S (v. 7.4) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:4058
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.5) kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7, kernel-debuginfo-common-ppc64le 3.10.0-862.44.2.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:3967
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional TUS (v. 7.4) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server TUS (v. 7.4) perf 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, kernel-abi-whitelists 3.10.0-693.61.1.el7, +1 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:4058
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) perf 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel 3.10.0-957.el7, bpftool 3.10.0-957.el7, python-perf 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-tools 3.10.0-957.el7, kernel-tools-libs 3.10.0-957.el7, +2 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-957.el7
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2018:3083
  • Red Hat MRG Realtime for RHEL 6 Server v.2 kernel-rt 3.10.0-693.61.1.rt56.656.el6rt, kernel-rt-trace 3.10.0-693.61.1.rt56.656.el6rt, kernel-rt-vanilla 3.10.0-693.61.1.rt56.656.el6rt, kernel-rt-firmware 3.10.0-693.61.1.rt56.656.el6rt, kernel-rt-debuginfo-common-x86_64 3.10.0-693.61.1.rt56.656.el6rt
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2019:4057
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 kernel Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 perf, kernel, python-perf, kernel-kdump, kernel-firmware, kernel-bootwrapper, +1 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 perf, kernel, bpftool, kernel-core, kernel-tools, python3-perf, +17 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) kernel-headers 3.10.0-957.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) kernel-headers 3.10.0-957.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) kernel-headers 3.10.0-957.el7
    +2 more products
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) kernel-headers 3.10.0-957.el7 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) kernel-headers 3.10.0-957.el7
    not affected: vulnerable code not present

Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf

Exploit prediction

0.47% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 40% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
NVD 3.0 5.5 CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
NVD 2.0 4.9 AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-835 Loop with Unreachable Exit Condition
Technology feeds

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.