CVE-2011-2517: Linux Kernel

High severity, CVSS 7.2. EPSS: 0.4% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Multiple buffer overflows in net/wireless/nl80211.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.39.2 allow local users to gain privileges by leveraging the CAP_NET_ADMIN capability during scan operations with a long SSID value.

Affected products

• Linux Linux Kernel: before 2.6.39.2 (fixed in 2.6.39.2)
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux: version 5.0 only
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop: version 5.0 only
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server: version 5.0 only
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation: version 5.0 only

Published 2012-05-24. Last modified 2026-06-16.