Critical Denial of Service Vulnerability in Xen Package - CVE-2018-10982
Summary
ALPINE-CVE-2018-10982: An issue was discovered in Xen through 4.10.x allowing x86 HVM guest OS users to cause a denial of service (unexpectedly high interrupt number, array overrun, and hypervisor crash) or possibly gain hypervisor privileges... Affects xen versions < 4.10.1-r1. Fixed in 4.10.1-r1. How to fix ↓
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Background
Xen is an open-source hypervisor that enables the creation and management of virtual machines. It is widely used for virtualization in cloud computing environments and supports various operating systems. The Xen package is crucial for managing resources and ensuring efficient operation of virtualized environments. However, it has been found to be vulnerable to a specific issue that could lead to severe consequences, including denial of service and potential privilege escalation.
Vulnerability Detail
An issue was discovered in Xen through 4.10.x that allows x86 HVM guest OS users to cause a denial of service (unexpectedly high interrupt number, array overrun, and hypervisor crash) or possibly gain hypervisor privileges. This vulnerability arises from the improper handling of HPET timers in IO-APIC mode, which can lead to critical system failures and security breaches.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
4.10.1-r1
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade xenTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
As a temporary measure, users can limit the use of x86 HVM guest OS configurations that rely on HPET timers until the package is updated. This can help mitigate the risk of exploitation while waiting for a permanent fix.
Conclusion
The Xen package is critical for virtualization, but it is affected by a significant vulnerability (CVE-2018-10982) that can lead to denial of service and privilege escalation. Users are advised to update to the patched version 4.10.1-r1 to secure their systems. Temporary workarounds are available to mitigate risks until the update can be applied.
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FAQ
CVE-2018-10982 is a vulnerability in the Xen hypervisor that allows for denial of service and potential privilege escalation due to improper handling of HPET timers.
The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 8.8, indicating a high severity level that requires immediate attention.
You can use the Vulert playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your application is affected by this vulnerability without requiring any signup.
Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to system crashes, denial of service, and unauthorized access to hypervisor privileges.
Yes, limiting the use of x86 HVM guest OS configurations that utilize HPET timers can help reduce the risk until the package is updated.
References
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