CVE-2011-4080
MEDIUMDescription
The sysrq_sysctl_handler function in kernel/sysctl.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39 does not require the CAP_SYS_ADMIN capability to modify the dmesg_restrict value, which allows local users to bypass intended access restrictions and read the kernel ring buffer by leveraging root privileges, as demonstrated by a root user in a Linux Containers (aka LXC) environment.
How to fix
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v2 Vector
No CVSS vector data available.
Exploit Intelligence
Low risk: more likely to be exploited than 27% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2012-1456 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1459 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2012-1446 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1443 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1442 | Medium | 4.3 | 99% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1457 | Medium | 4.3 | 98% | - | Fix |
Embed a live status badge for CVE-2011-4080
Markdown
[](https://tridentstack.com/cve/CVE-2011-4080)HTML
<a href="https://tridentstack.com/cve/CVE-2011-4080"><img src="https://tridentstack.com/cve/badge/CVE-2011-4080.svg" alt="CVE-2011-4080"></a>Find and fix vulnerabilities across your fleet
TridentStack Control continuously scans your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet for known vulnerabilities, prioritizes them by severity and active exploitation, and patches them automatically.
Start freeThis product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-04-29.