CVE-2012-6538

CVE-2012-6538 describes an information disclosure vulnerability in the Linux kernel's net/xfrm/xfrm_user.c, affecting versions before 3.6, as well as Red Hat Enterprise Linux. A flaw in the copy_to_user_auth function, specifically the use of an incorrect C library function for string copying, allows local users with CAP_NET_ADMIN privileges to extract sensitive data from kernel heap memory. The vulnerability has a low severity CVSS score of 1.9, indicating a local attack vector with medium complexity and a potential impact limited to partial confidentiality. There is no impact on integrity or availability. Currently, there is no evidence of active exploitation, nor are there publicly available exploits in Metasploit, Nuclei, or ExploitDB. The CVE has received minimal community attention, with no social media discussion or media coverage.