Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a Linux kernel local privilege escalation issue. A user who already has access to a vulnerable machine may be able to abuse incorrect PIE binary memory mapping to gain powerful system privileges. It is not a remote internet entry point, but CISA KEV listing means it has known exploitation significance.
Executive priority
Prioritize remediation for legacy Linux systems with local users, shared hosting, developer access, or internet-facing services that could first be compromised another way. Treat as high priority because KEV confirms known exploitation relevance, but scope it through kernel inventory rather than assuming every Linux host is affected.
Technical view
The flaw is in load_elf_binary() handling of PIE ELF mappings when CONFIG_ARCH_BINFMT_ELF_RANDOMIZE_PIE and top-down allocation are used. Some long-term kernels missed the 2015 upstream fix or backport, allowing later PT_LOAD segments to map into the stack gap area. CVSS is 7.8, local, low complexity, low privilege required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Linux distributions or appliances running older long-term kernels that did not include commit a87938b2e246b81b4fb713edb371a9fa3c5c3c86 or the Linux 3.10.77 backport. The bundle does not provide a complete affected product matrix.
Exploitation context
CISA lists CVE-2017-1000253 in KEV, supporting known exploitation. The source bundle does not provide current campaign details. Exploitation requires local access with low privileges, making shared servers, legacy workloads, and multi-user Linux environments higher concern.
Researcher notes
The key research question is whether a distribution backported a87938b2e246b81b4fb713edb371a9fa3c5c3c86 into its maintained kernel. The bundle indicates the bug was fixed upstream in April 2015 and backported to Linux 3.10.77 in May 2015, but not recognized as security-impacting until later.
Mitigation direction
- Apply the vendor kernel update or advisory package for affected Linux distributions.
- Confirm the running kernel includes the 2015 upstream fix or relevant backport.
- Reboot into the patched kernel; installed packages alone may not remove exposure.
- Retire unsupported kernels that no longer receive security backports.
- Follow vendor guidance where product-specific applicability is unclear.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Linux kernel versions across servers, containers hosts, and appliances.
- Compare kernels against vendor advisories and the upstream fixed commit/backport.
- Verify the patched kernel is the active booted kernel after reboot.
- Check bootloader defaults for older vulnerable kernels.
- Review local user access on legacy multi-user systems.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-119: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2017-1000253 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- Yes
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CISA KEV status
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- RHSA-2017:2798CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2017:2795CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2017:2801CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2017:2796CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2017:2799CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2017:2794CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2017:2793CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2017:2797CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHSA-2017:2802CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://www.qualys.com/2017/09/26/cve-2017-1000253/cve-2017-1000253.txtCVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- RHSA-2017:2800CVE reference · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2017-1000253CVE reference · government-resource
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.