CVE-2002-1976: ifconfig, when used on the Linux kernel 2.2 and later, does not report when the network interface is in pro...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This CVE describes a Linux visibility problem: if a network interface is put into promiscuous mode through a specific packet membership mechanism, ifconfig may not show it. That can let unauthorized packet sniffing avoid a common administrative check. Exposure is most relevant where legacy Linux systems rely on ifconfig to detect promiscuous interfaces. The source bundle does not identify specific distributions, package versions, or whether modern systems remain affected. Treat this as a legacy detection gap, not an emergency. Prioritize environments where sensitive traffic may traverse shared networks and where monitoring still depends on ifconfig. Mitigation focus: Check vendor guidance for affected Linux distributions and net-tools behavior.; Do not rely only on ifconfig for promiscuous-mode monitoring.; Use additional host and network monitoring for suspicious packet capture behavior..

Prepared

Jun 29, 2026, 19:30 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.