CVE-2019-9857
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify...
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify/inotify/inotify_user.c neglects to call fsnotify_put_mark() with IN_MASK_CREATE after fsnotify_find_mark(), which will cause a memory leak (aka refcount leak). Finally, this will cause a denial of service.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify/inotify/inotify_user.c neglects to call fsnotify_put_mark() with IN_MASK_CREATE after fsnotify_find_mark(), which will cause a memory leak (aka refcount leak). Finally, this will cause a denial of service.
- Record
CVE-2019-9857- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 4.9 Medium
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-401
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify/inotify/inotify_user.c neglects to call fsnotify_put_mark() with IN_MASK_CREATE after fsnotify_find_mark(), which will cause a memory leak (aka refcount leak). Finally, this will cause a denial of service.
- Record
CVE-2019-9857- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-19213 No score
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify/inotify/inotify_user.c neglects to call fsnotify_put_mark() with IN_MASK_CREATE after fsnotify_find_mark(), which will cause a memory leak (aka refcount leak). Finally, this will cause a denial of service.
- Record
EUVD-2019-19213- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-p54v-5qqx-fv5f
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify...
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify/inotify/inotify_user.c neglects to call fsnotify_put_mark() with IN_MASK_CREATE after fsnotify_find_mark(), which will cause a memory leak (aka refcount leak). Finally, this will cause a denial of service.
- Record
GHSA-p54v-5qqx-fv5f- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-401
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBELL-CVE-2019-9857
CVE-2019-9857 does not affect BellSoft software
- Record
BELL-CVE-2019-9857- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify/inotify/inotify_user.c neglects to call fsnotify_put_mark() with IN_MASK_CREATE after fsnotify_find_mark(), which will cause a memory leak (aka refcount leak). Finally, this will cause a denial of service.
- Record
CVE-2019-9857- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2019-9857
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify/inotify/inotify_user.c neglects to call fsnotify_put_mark() with IN_MASK_CREATE after fsnotify_find_mark(), which will cause a memory leak (aka refcount leak). Finally, this will cause a denial of service.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2019-9857- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2019-9857
In the Linux kernel through 5.0.2, the function inotify_update_existing_watch() in fs/notify/inotify/inotify_user.c neglects to call fsnotify_put_mark() with IN_MASK_CREATE after fsnotify_find_mark(), which will cause a memory leak (aka refcount leak). Finally, this will cause a denial of service.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2019-9857- CVSS 3.0
- 5.5 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2019-9857 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.5) in Linux Kernel, published March 18, 2019. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.42%, the 36th percentile. Fixed in linux 4.19.37-1.
References
patchwork.kernel.org/patch/10836283
git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/jack/linux-fs.git/commit?h=fsnotify&id=62c9d2674b31d4c8a674bee86b7edc6da2803aea
securityfocus.com/bid/107527
security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190404-0002
lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NXLZ2V2ES37A3J7DMK4MZYIWV2LEZFLM
Show 8 moreShow less
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-9857
github.com/advisories/GHSA-p54v-5qqx-fv5f
docs.bell-sw.com/security/cves/CVE-2019-9857
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2019-9857
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-9857
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-9857