CVE-2013-2094
The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9 uses an incorrect integer data type, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted perf_event_open system call.
- CVSS
- 8.4Highscored by CISA
- Exploited in the wild
- Yes, in CISA KEV since 15 Sept 2022CISA deadline for US federal agencies: 6 Oct 2022public exploit code
- EPSS
- 47.7%chance of exploitation in the next 30 daystop 2% of scored CVEsFIRST score of 11 Nov 2026
- Fix
- Patch availablesee the advisories in the references
- Published
- 14 May 2013analysed here 12 Nov 2026
Do first. Apply updates per vendor instructions. (CISA's required action for this KEV entry)
Summary
Triage
The summary, impact and action text on this page are written by our AI analysis pipeline, or taken from the NVD description when a CVE was imported from NVD. They are not the vendor's wording: check them against the sources. A longer AI executive summary and technical analysis are generated for signed-in accounts on the Max plan.
Affected products
Products named in our analysis
- linux:linux_kernel
Fix and mitigation
WAF and other mitigations
Can a WAF block it? No. The attack needs local access to the machine, so a WAF is not on its path.
Also consider: patch
Based on the attack vector (local or physical access). We check Cloudflare, AWS, Google Cloud Armor and Azure; for Akamai, Imperva, Fastly, F5, ask your vendor.
Remediation steps (AI-written)
Step-by-step remediation is generated for accounts on the Max plan, for CVEs that match a technology in their stack. Add this technology to your stack to see the fix checklist.
Exploitation evidence
- CISA KEV catalog
- Listed since 15 Sept 2022.
- CISA due date
- 6 Oct 2022, the remediation deadline for US federal agencies
- CISA required action
- Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- Public exploit code
- Yes: 3 on Exploit-DB · 7 GitHub proofs of concept
- CISA SSVC
- exploitation active, automatable no, technical impact totalAssessed by CISA 1 May 2025 (SSVC 2.0.3). Exploitation is none, poc (public proof of concept) or active.
Exploit-DB
- Linux Kernel 3.2.0-23/3.5.0-23 (Ubuntu 12.04/12.04.1/12.04.2 x64) - 'perf_swevent_init' Local Privilege Escalation (3)local, 31 May 2014, verified by Exploit-DB
- Linux Kernel < 3.8.9 (x86-64) - 'perf_swevent_init' Local Privilege Escalation (2)local, 11 Jun 2013, verified by Exploit-DB
- Linux Kernel 2.6.32 < 3.x (CentOS 5/6) - 'PERF_EVENTS' Local Privilege Escalation (1)local, 14 May 2013
GitHub proofs of concept
- realtalk/cve-2013-209491 stars
- hiikezoe/libperf_event_exploit17 stars
- Pashkela/CVE-2013-20944 stars
- timhsutw/cve-2013-20943 stars
and 3 more repositories
Listed so you can judge urgency, not as a recommendation to run anything. GitHub “proofs of concept” are unvetted: some are fake or carry malware. Exploit-DB marks the entries its staff verified.
Timeline
- 14 May 2013First public exploit or proof of concept
- 14 May 2013Published1 day later
- 15 Sept 2022Added to CISA KEV (exploited in the wild)3,410 days (about 9 years) later
- 6 Oct 2022CISA remediation due date (US federal agencies)21 days later
- 1 May 2025CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active938 days (about 3 years) later
- 22 Oct 2025CVE record last updated174 days (about 6 months) later
- 12 Nov 2026Analysed by vulneraibility.com387 days (about 1 year) later
CVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
| Metric | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Attack vector | LocalLocal access required (shell, logged-in user). | Local access required (shell, logged-in user). |
| Attack complexity | LowRepeatable attack, no special conditions. | Repeatable attack, no special conditions. |
| Privileges required | NoneThe attacker needs no prior access. | The attacker needs no prior access. |
| User interaction | NoneNo victim action needed. | No victim action needed. |
| Scope | UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component. | Impact stays within the vulnerable component. |
| Confidentiality | HighTotal data disclosure possible. | Total data disclosure possible. |
| Integrity | HighComplete modification possible. | Complete modification possible. |
| Availability | HighFull outage possible. | Full outage possible. |
Common questions
Is CVE-2013-2094 being exploited?
Yes. CVE-2013-2094 appears in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation in the wild has been confirmed and reported. Treat it as active rather than theoretical, and patch it ahead of higher-scoring vulnerabilities that carry no exploitation evidence.
How severe is CVE-2013-2094?
CVE-2013-2094 is rated High with a CVSS score of 8.4. Severity describes how bad exploitation would be, not how likely it is: pair it with exploitation evidence before deciding what to patch first.
Is there a patch for CVE-2013-2094?
Yes. A fix has been recorded for CVE-2013-2094. The vendor advisory is the authority on the exact fixed version — apply it from there rather than from a summary.
What does CVE-2013-2094 affect?
CVE-2013-2094 affects linux:linux_kernel. Confirm the exact affected versions against the vendor advisory before deciding you are exposed.
Exploitation status reflects CISA's KEV catalog as we last synced it. Check the catalog directly.
References
30 references in the CVE record, grouped by the tags the record gives them.
Advisories (13)
- lists.opensuse.org /opensuse-security-announce/2013-05/msg00018.html
- mandriva.com /security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2013:176
- ubuntu.com /usn/USN-1826-1
- ubuntu.com /usn/USN-1838-1
- ubuntu.com /usn/USN-1828-1
- ubuntu.com /usn/USN-1827-1
Show 7 more
- ubuntu.com /usn/USN-1836-1
- rhn.redhat.com /errata/RHSA-2013-0830.html
- lists.opensuse.org /opensuse-security-announce/2013-05/msg00008.html
- lists.opensuse.org /opensuse-security-announce/2013-06/msg00005.html
- lists.opensuse.org /opensuse-security-announce/2013-06/msg00017.html
- ubuntu.com /usn/USN-1825-1
- lists.opensuse.org /opensuse-security-announce/2013-06/msg00009.html
Exploits (1)
- exploit-db.com /exploits/33589
Other links (16)
- lkml.indiana.edu /hypermail/linux/kernel/1304.1/04302.html
- lkml.indiana.edu /hypermail/linux/kernel/1304.1/03652.html
- lists.centos.org /pipermail/centos-announce/2013-May/019733.html
- lkml.indiana.edu /hypermail/linux/kernel/1304.1/03976.html
- bugzilla.redhat.com /show_bug.cgi?id=962792
- github.com /torvalds/linux/commit/8176cced706b5e5d15887584150764894e94e02f
Show 10 more
- kernel.org /pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.8.9
- lists.centos.org /pipermail/centos-announce/2013-May/019729.html
- osvdb.org /93361
- news.ycombinator.com /item?id=5703758
- openwall.com /lists/oss-security/2013/05/14/6
- git.kernel.org /?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=8176cced706b5e5d15887
- packetstormsecurity.com /files/121616/semtex.c
- twitter.com /djrbliss/statuses/334301992648331267
- reddit.com /r/netsec/comments/1eb9iw
- cisa.gov /known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2013-2094
Where the data on this page comes from
- CVE List (CVE.org): description, affected versions, references; CVE Terms of Use
- NVD: CVSS and CPE data
- CISA KEV catalog: exploitation, date added, due date
- CISA Vulnrichment (ADP): SSVC decision points
- FIRST EPSS: exploit probability and percentile
- Exploit-DB: published exploits
- PoC-in-GitHub: GitHub repositories that claim a proof of concept
Summary, impact and triage tags: written by our AI analysis pipeline from the sources above. Check them against the sources.
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