CVE-2011-4915Public exploit

Keystroke disclosure via world-readable interrupt counters

Published Feb 20, 2020 · Updated Aug 7, 2024

Information disclosure in the Linux kernel through 3.1 allows local users to infer sensitive keystrokes through /proc/interrupts. The world-readable procfs entry exposes per-interrupt counters, letting an unprivileged process track keyboard interrupt changes and derive password length or timing. The published proof of concept assumes a two-core system with one keyboard; it reads input indirectly and does not modify data or affect availability.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.51%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Information disclosure in the Linux kernel through 3.1 allows local users to infer sensitive keystrokes through /proc/interrupts. The world-readable procfs entry exposes per-interrupt counters, letting an unprivileged process track keyboard interrupt changes and derive password length or timing. The published proof of concept assumes a two-core system with one keyboard; it reads input indirectly and does not modify data or affect availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2011-4915
Published
Feb 20, 2020
Updated
Aug 7, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-200, T1056.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 20, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 7, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=through 3.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=through 3.1

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-200Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
T1056.001Input Capture: Keylogging

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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