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PatchSiren cyber security CVE debrief

CVE-2016-10044 Linux CVE debrief

CVE-2016-10044 is a Linux kernel local privilege-escalation issue in the aio_mount path. According to NVD and the referenced kernel patch, the flaw allowed execute access to be handled too loosely, which could let a local user bypass intended SELinux W^X policy restrictions and potentially gain privileges via io_setup. The issue is high impact because it affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability, but it requires local access and user-level privileges first. The NVD record lists affected Linux kernel ranges ending before 4.7.7, and also maps impact to Android builds through 7.1.1 in its CPE criteria.

Vendor
Linux
Product
Unknown
CVSS
HIGH 7.8
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2017-02-07
Original CVE updated
2026-05-13
Advisory published
2017-02-07
Advisory updated
2026-05-13

Who should care

Linux distribution maintainers, Android device and firmware teams, kernel patch-management owners, and security responders responsible for hosts where untrusted local users or apps can run.

Technical summary

NVD describes the bug in fs/aio.c’s aio_mount function as failing to properly restrict execute access. In practice, that weakness could undermine SELinux W^X enforcement, making it easier for a local attacker to obtain elevated privileges through the io_setup syscall path. The NVD weakness mapping is CWE-264.

Defensive priority

High for any system running an affected Linux kernel or an Android build that includes the vulnerable kernel branch, especially where local users, containers, or apps can execute untrusted code. Patch urgency is lower only after confirming the kernel is at a fixed release or vendor backport level.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Upgrade to a kernel release that includes the fix; the referenced upstream change is available in the Linux commit linked by NVD and the 4.7.7 change log.
  • For Android and vendor kernels, verify the fix is present in the vendor security bulletin or backported into the device kernel build.
  • Prioritize patching on shared systems, developer workstations, and devices that allow untrusted local code execution.
  • Confirm SELinux policy assumptions after patching, especially where W^X protections are relied on for hardening.
  • Use inventory scans to identify hosts running Linux kernel versions before the affected fixed releases noted by NVD.

Evidence notes

Timing context: the CVE was published on 2017-02-07 and the record was last modified on 2026-05-13. The description, NVD CPE ranges, and official references consistently point to a Linux kernel issue in fs/aio.c, with an upstream kernel commit, the Android security bulletin, and the 4.7.7 changelog cited as supporting evidence. No exploit details are included here; the debrief stays limited to the documented local privilege-escalation impact.

Sources and references

Verified primary and authoritative sources

  • CVE-2016-10044 CVE Program record

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-10044

    CVE Program - Official CVE Program record with source-provided CVE metadata.

  • CVE-2016-10044 NVD vulnerability detail

    Publisher, destination, and source semantics verified

    URL: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-10044

    NIST National Vulnerability Database - Official NIST NVD detail page and source-specific vulnerability assessment.

Supplemental references

Methodology and review provenance

AI-assisted synthesis based on stored public vulnerability evidence. System validation, approval state, and publication status do not by themselves establish human review of this revision. PatchSiren helps prioritize defensive review and does not prove exposure or remediation on any system.