CVE-2016-7916: Race condition in the environ_read function in fs/proc/base.c in the Linux kernel before 4.5.4 allows local...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This is an older Linux kernel information-disclosure flaw. A local user could sometimes read unintended kernel memory through a process environment file while that process was being set up. It is most relevant on shared systems where untrusted users or workloads can run code locally. Likely exposure is Linux systems running affected pre-4.5.4 kernels or downstream kernels without the vendor backport. Business risk is higher on multi-user servers, shared hosting, developer jump boxes, and platforms allowing untrusted local workloads. Treat as a targeted patching item, not an emergency remote-exploitation event. Prioritize environments where local users, tenants, containers, or workloads are not fully trusted, because the flaw can expose sensitive memory rather than directly grant code execution. Mitigation focus: Apply vendor kernel updates that include CVE-2016-7916 remediation.; For self-managed kernels, move to Linux 4.5.4 or a fixed backport.; Prioritize shared systems with untrusted local users or workloads..

Prepared

Jun 13, 2026, 13:16 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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