CVE-2015-3339: Race condition in the prepare_binprm function in fs/exec.c in the Linux kernel before 3.19.6 allows local u...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2015-3339 is a Linux kernel local privilege-escalation flaw. A local user could gain higher privileges during a narrow race involving file ownership changes and setuid program execution. It is not described as remotely exploitable by itself, but it matters on shared Linux systems and servers where attackers may already have low-privileged access. Exposure is most likely on Linux systems running kernels before 3.19.6 or vendor kernels without the relevant backport. The CVE source lists affected products as n/a, so organizations must validate against their distribution advisories and kernel package history rather than relying only on the generic CVE record. Prioritize remediation where local access is plausible, especially shared infrastructure, developer servers, hosting environments, and internet-facing services that could grant attackers a foothold. The business risk is privilege escalation after initial access, so patching reduces blast radius from other compromises. Mitigation focus: Apply kernel updates from the relevant Linux distribution vendor advisory.; Confirm the fix is present via vendor backport notes or Linux 3.19.6 lineage.; Prioritize shared servers, multi-user hosts, and systems allowing local shell access..

Prepared

Jun 13, 2026, 22:39 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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