CVE-2016-7117: Use-after-free vulnerability in the __sys_recvmmsg function in net/socket.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5....

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2016-7117 is a Linux kernel use-after-free flaw in socket message handling. The public record says affected kernels before 4.5.2 could allow arbitrary code execution through mishandled recvmmsg error processing. Business urgency depends on whether your fleet still runs vulnerable or unpatched vendor kernels. Exposure is most likely on legacy Linux servers, appliances, embedded systems, or Android builds using kernels older than 4.5.2 or vendor kernels that lack the backported fix. Modern maintained distributions may be patched even if their version string appears older. Treat this as a high-priority legacy-kernel exposure issue, not a confirmed active incident. The main business risk is old or unsupported infrastructure retaining a kernel arbitrary-code-execution flaw after vendor fixes have long been available. Mitigation focus: Identify Linux and Android systems using kernels before 4.5.2 or affected vendor branches.; Apply vendor kernel updates from Red Hat, Debian, Ubuntu, Android, or relevant platform maintainers.; For custom kernels, confirm inclusion of upstream commit 34b88a68f26a75e4fded796f1a49c40f82234b7d..

Prepared

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

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