CVE-2011-2183: Race condition in the scan_get_next_rmap_item function in mm/ksm.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39.3, whe...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This is an old Linux kernel race condition affecting systems before 2.6.39.3 when Kernel SamePage Merging is enabled. A local user or application could crash the system through a NULL pointer dereference. The sources also mention possible unspecified other impact, but do not define it. Exposure is most likely on legacy Linux systems running kernels before 2.6.39.3 with KSM enabled, especially multi-user or virtualization hosts allowing untrusted local code. Modern maintained distributions are likely patched, but vendor backports must be verified. Treat this as a legacy infrastructure hygiene issue unless affected shared Linux hosts remain in service. It is not supported as remotely exploitable or actively exploited by the provided sources, but local denial of service can still disrupt critical platforms. Mitigation focus: Upgrade to a kernel containing the upstream fix or vendor backport.; Check Linux distribution advisories for CVE-2011-2183 remediation status.; Disable KSM where it is unnecessary and risk outweighs memory savings..

Prepared

Jun 24, 2026, 12:34 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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