Exploit - Dirty Cow (CVE-2016-5195)

Privilege Escalation Lab | Linux Kernel Exploit

📋 Overview

Hands-on lab reproducing the DirtyCow vulnerability (CVE-2016-5195), a critical race condition found in the Linux kernel that allows unprivileged users to gain write access to read-only memory mappings, leading to full root privilege escalation.

🎯 Objectives

• Understand how race conditions can be exploited at the kernel level
• Reproduce a real-world privilege escalation attack in a controlled environment
• Analyze the exploit's behavior and document mitigation strategies

🛠️ Tools & Environment

• Kali Linux (vulnerable kernel version)
• GCC compiler
• C exploit code (dirtycow.c)

🔬 What I Did

1. Set up a vulnerable Linux environment with an unpatched kernel
2. Compiled and executed the DirtyCow exploit
3. Verified successful privilege escalation from regular user to root
4. Documented the attack vector and analyzed the patch (kernel 4.8.3+)

🛡️ Mitigation

• Keep Linux kernel updated (patched in kernel ≥ 4.8.3)
• Apply vendor security patches promptly
• Use SELinux / AppArmor policies to limit exploit impact

⚠️ Disclaimer

This project was developed strictly for educational purposes in a controlled lab environment as part of the Systems Administration & Cybersecurity program at 4Geeks Academy. Do not use on systems without explicit authorization.