CVE-2011-2479: The Linux kernel before 2.6.39 does not properly create transparent huge pages in response to a MAP_PRIVATE...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This is a local denial-of-service flaw in older Linux kernels. A user who can run code on an affected system could crash the machine by abusing transparent huge page handling with a private /dev/zero memory mapping. It is not described as remote code execution, and the source bundle does not show active exploitation. Exposure is most relevant on legacy Linux systems running kernels before 2.6.39 or vendor kernels without the referenced backport. Risk increases where untrusted local users, shared hosting tenants, containers, or batch workloads can execute code on the host. Treat as a legacy stability risk. Patch or retire affected kernels during normal vulnerability remediation, with faster action for multi-user or shared infrastructure where a local crash could disrupt business services. Mitigation focus: Upgrade to Linux kernel 2.6.39 or a vendor kernel containing the upstream fix.; Check Linux distribution advisories for backported fixes for maintained legacy kernels.; Prioritize shared systems where untrusted local users can run code..

Prepared

Jun 15, 2026, 04:24 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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