CVE-2011-1163: The osf_partition function in fs/partitions/osf.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.38 does not properly handl...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2011-1163 is an old Linux kernel information disclosure flaw in OSF partition-table handling. A local user could potentially cause the kernel to expose sensitive heap memory while parsing a malformed partition table. There is no KEV listing or cited evidence of active exploitation in the supplied sources. Exposure is most likely on legacy Linux systems using kernels before 2.6.38 or vendor kernels without the backported fix, especially where local users can cause partition-table parsing of untrusted media, disk images, or block devices. Handle as a legacy hygiene issue with moderate priority. It is not presented as remotely exploitable or actively exploited, but unpatched shared Linux systems could leak sensitive kernel memory to local users. Mitigation focus: Upgrade to Linux kernel 2.6.38 or a vendor kernel containing the backported fix.; Review applicable vendor advisories, including Red Hat, SUSE, and appliance vendor notices.; Restrict untrusted users from attaching or parsing untrusted block devices and disk images..

Prepared

Jun 24, 2026, 13:28 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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