CVE-2019-13272: Linux Kernel Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability

Reference page built from the source records below, each shown as its source publishes it. Dataset version ref-f6776ab9db74, updated 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z.

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities

Name
Linux Kernel Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability
Vendor
Linux
Product
Kernel
Added to the catalog
2021-12-10
Due date for US federal agencies
2022-06-10
Weaknesses
CWE-269
Catalog version
2026.10.30

Kernel/ptrace.c in Linux kernel mishandles contains an improper privilege management vulnerability that allows local users to obtain root access.

Required action (CISA)

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Ransomware use: CISA does not mark known use of this vulnerability in ransomware campaigns.

Links in CISA's notes

Read on 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z under licence cisa-kev-cc0@b0067899 from https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json

NVD analysis

Status
Analyzed
Published
2019-07-17T13:15:10.687
Last modified
2026-06-17T02:16:26.033
Weaknesses
NVD-CWE-noinfo

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.

MetricScoreSeverityVectorScored by
CVSS 3.17.8HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H[email protected] (Primary)
CVSS 3.17.8HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0 (Secondary)
CVSS 2.07.2HIGHAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C[email protected] (Primary)

References

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

Read on 2026-11-02T23:41:43.468Z under licence nvd-api-terms-of-use@ff2a5288 from https://services.nvd.nist.gov/rest/json/cves/2.0?cveId=CVE-2019-13272

CVE record

Assigner
mitre
State
PUBLISHED
Published
2019-07-17T12:32:55.000Z
Updated
2025-10-21T23:45:33.569Z
Problem types
n/a

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.

References

Read on 2026-11-03T01:01:17.896Z under licence cve-terms-of-use@81bfa2f3 from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/CVEProject/cvelistV5/main/cves/2019/13xxx/CVE-2019-13272.json

Sources and licences

  • CISA

    Source: CISA Catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities, version 2026.10.30, CC0 1.0. Use of this data does not imply endorsement by CISA or DHS.

    CC0 1.0 Universal

  • National Vulnerability Database (NIST)

    This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.

    NVD API Terms of Use (NIST publications in the public domain, 17 U.S.C. 105)

  • CVE Program, The MITRE Corporation

    Copyright © 1999-2026, The MITRE Corporation. CVE is a trademark and the CVE logo is a registered trademark of The MITRE Corporation. CVE Usage: MITRE hereby grants you a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, no-charge, royalty-free, irrevocable copyright license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, sublicense, and distribute Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE™). Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized provided that you reproduce MITRE's copyright designation and this license in any such copy.

    CVE Program Terms of Use ("CVE Usage" licence)

Cite this page

Dragons Eye Ransomware Tracker, "CVE-2019-13272: Linux Kernel Improper Privilege Management Vulnerability",
entity page, dataset version ref-f6776ab9db74, updated 2026-11-02T23:39:54.475Z,
https://ransomware-tracker.com/cve/CVE-2019-13272 (accessed 2026-11-03).
Underlying source: CISA Catalog of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities, version 2026.10.30.
Underlying source: National Vulnerability Database (NIST), CVE API 2.0, record last modified 2026-06-17T02:16:26.033.
Underlying source: CVE List (CVE Program, The MITRE Corporation), record updated 2025-10-21T23:45:33.569Z.

Pages change. The dataset version identifies the data, but no archive of old versions is kept, so this citation cannot be replayed later.

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