The osf_partition function in fs/partitions/osf.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.38 does not properly handle an invalid number of partitions, which might allow local users to obtain potentially sensitive information from kernel heap memory via vectors related to partition-table parsing.
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=688021
http://www.spinics.net/lists/mm-commits/msg82737.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/46878
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/517050
http://www.pre-cert.de/advisories/PRE-SA-2011-02.txt
http://securitytracker.com/id?1025225
http://securityreason.com/securityalert/8189
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-0833.html
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/03/15/9
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/03/15/14
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-04/msg00020.html