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3.3

ecryptfs-utils may leave swap unencrypted on NVMe or MMC

CVE-2016-6224 · published 10 years ago
Summary

The ecryptfs-utils tool on Ubuntu can fail to keep the swap partition encrypted when the system uses GPT partitioning on NVMe or MMC drives. This means a local user could potentially read data from the unencrypted swap area. Apply the latest Ubuntu updates or manually verify that swap is encrypted after installation.

What to do

The CVE record does not list a fixed version. Check the vendor's site or the advisory links below - a fix may already be released.

Affected software
VendorProductAffected versions
ecryptfs ecryptfs-utils <= 110
cpe:2.3:a:ecryptfs:ecryptfs-utils:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
canonical ubuntu_linux 14.04
15.10
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
Original advisory text
ecryptfs-setup-swap in eCryptfs does not prevent the unencrypted swap partition from activating during boot when using GPT partitioning on a (1) NVMe or (2) MMC drive, which allows local users to o...
ecryptfs-setup-swap in eCryptfs does not prevent the unencrypted swap partition from activating during boot when using GPT partitioning on a (1) NVMe or (2) MMC drive, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information via unspecified vectors. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2015-8946.
References
Fix within
Internet-facing 60 days
Internal At next upgrade
  • Not known to be exploited
  • Needs hands-on effort to exploit (estimated)
  • Gives an attacker partial control (estimated)
Severity
3.3 Low
Exploitation
<1% chance of attack within 30 days
Type
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
Timeline
Published22 Jul 2016
Updated4 Nov 2026
First seen29 Sep 2026
Sources
CVE-2016-6224 · NVD
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