MediumPublic exploit

Privilege Escalation and DoS via suid_dumpable in Linux Kernel

IdentifiersCVE-2006-2451CWE-732

CVE-2006-2451 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel's suid_dumpable support (versions 2.6.13 up to but not including 2.6.17.4, and 2.6.16 before 2.6.16.24). The flaw allows a local user to exploit the PR_SET_DUMPABLE argument of the prctl function in conjunction with a setuid program that triggers a core dump. If the core dump is written to a directory where the user lacks permissions, this can result in denial of service through disk consumption and potentially privilege escalation.

For your environment

Are you exposed to this one?

Mallory correlates every CVE against your assets, your vendors, and active adversary campaigns. Know which vulnerabilities matter for you, not just which ones are loud.

Start free trial

ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

A local attacker can cause denial of service by filling up disk space with core dumps. There is also a potential for privilege escalation if the attacker can manipulate the core dump process to gain access to files or directories with elevated privileges.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

Restrict access to setuid binaries and monitor core dump configurations. Administrators can disable core dumps for setuid programs or use core pattern restrictions to prevent unauthorized core dump file creation.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade the Linux kernel to version 2.6.17.4 or later, or 2.6.16.24 or later, where the vulnerability has been patched.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

1 valid exploit after Mallory filtered fakes, detection scripts, and README-only repos (5 hidden).

VALID 1 / 6 TOTALView more in app

2006MaturityOperationalVerified exploit

The repository is a small collection of two standalone historical Linux-kernel local privilege-escalation exploits, with one C source file and README per CVE, plus a top-level README and MIT license. It does not use an exploit framework or make network requests. CVE-2006-2451/2031.c abuses vulnerable PR_SET_DUMPABLE core-dump handling to write attacker-controlled content into /etc/logrotate.d/core. The resulting logrotate configuration changes ownership and permissions of a locally compiled helper at /tmp/pwned, producing a setuid-root shell launcher when logrotate runs. CVE-2006-3626/2013.c is an i386/Linux procfs and dumpability race exploit. It prepares an a.out image containing inline setuid and /bin/sh shellcode in its environment, then races execution of /proc/<pid>/environ while toggling dumpability and inducing memory pressure with a large mapped file. Both artifacts are operational local root-escalation PoCs for obsolete kernel versions, not scanners or detection scripts.

0b0111100Disclosed Sep 7, 2026cx86 assemblylocal

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType

LinuxLinux Kerneloperating_system

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

No public activity tracked yet. Mallory keeps watching.

0 SOURCESView more in app

No public activity observed for this vulnerability.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.

Start free trial

Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity