CVE-2019-13272
Description
In the Linux kernel before 5.1.17, ptrace_link in kernel/ptrace.c mishandles the recording of the credentials of a process that wants to create a ptrace relationship, which allows local users to obtain root access by leveraging certain scenarios with a parent-child process relationship, where a parent drops privileges and calls execve (potentially allowing control by an attacker). One contributing factor is an object lifetime issue (which can also cause a panic). Another contributing factor is incorrect marking of a ptrace relationship as privileged, which is exploitable through (for example) Polkit's pkexec helper with PTRACE_TRACEME. NOTE: SELinux deny_ptrace might be a usable workaround in some environments.
Affected products
1- Linux/kerneldescription
Patches
0No patches discovered yet.
Vulnerability mechanics
AI mechanics synthesis has not run for this CVE yet.
References
29- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2405mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2411mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2809mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/OGRK5LYWBJ4E4SRI4DKX367NHYSI3VOH/mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- usn.ubuntu.com/4093-1/mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- usn.ubuntu.com/4094-1/mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- usn.ubuntu.com/4095-1/mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- usn.ubuntu.com/4117-1/mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- usn.ubuntu.com/4118-1/mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4484mitrevendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIAN
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/153663/Linux-PTRACE_TRACEME-Broken-Permission-Object-Lifetime-Handling.htmlmitrex_refsource_MISC
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/153702/Slackware-Security-Advisory-Slackware-14.2-kernel-Updates.htmlmitrex_refsource_MISC
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/154245/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0054-1.htmlmitrex_refsource_MISC
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/154957/Linux-Polkit-pkexec-Helper-PTRACE_TRACEME-Local-Root.htmlmitrex_refsource_MISC
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/156929/Linux-PTRACE_TRACEME-Local-Root.htmlmitrex_refsource_MISC
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/165051/Linux-Kernel-5.1.x-PTRACE_TRACEME-pkexec-Local-Privilege-Escalation.htmlmitrex_refsource_MISC
- bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detailmitrex_refsource_MISC
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgimitrex_refsource_CONFIRM
- bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgimitrex_refsource_CONFIRM
- cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.1.17mitrex_refsource_MISC
- git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/mitrex_refsource_MISC
- github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6994eefb0053799d2e07cd140df6c2ea106c41eemitrex_refsource_MISC
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/07/msg00022.htmlmitremailing-listx_refsource_MLIST
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/07/msg00023.htmlmitremailing-listx_refsource_MLIST
- seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Jul/30mitremailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQ
- seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Jul/33mitremailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQ
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190806-0001/mitrex_refsource_CONFIRM
- support.f5.com/csp/article/K91025336mitrex_refsource_CONFIRM
- support.f5.com/csp/article/K91025336mitrex_refsource_CONFIRM
News mentions
1- Exploits and vulnerabilities in Q1 2026Securelist · May 7, 2026