Vulnerability in Xen through 4.14.x
Summary
CVE-2020-29568: An issue was discovered in Xen through 4.14.x. Affects linux-lts versions < 5.10.4-r0. Fixed in 5.10.4-r0. How to fix ↓
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Background
Xen is an open-source hypervisor that provides virtualization capabilities for various operating systems, including Linux, FreeBSD, and NetBSD. It allows multiple guest operating systems to run on a single host system. The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-29568 affects Xen versions up to 4.14.x. This vulnerability impacts systems with a FreeBSD, Linux, or NetBSD dom0, where watch events processing is handled by a single thread.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability arises when watch events are received at a faster rate than the processing thread can handle. As a result, the events get queued in an unbounded queue. This queuing behavior can be exploited by a guest operating system to trigger an out-of-memory (OOM) condition in the backend. This vulnerability poses a risk to the stability and availability of the affected systems.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
5.10.4-r0
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apk add --upgrade linux-ltsTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Workaround
No specific workaround has been provided for this vulnerability.
Conclusion
The vulnerability in Xen through 4.14.x can be exploited by a guest operating system to trigger an out-of-memory condition in the backend. To mitigate this risk, it is crucial to update to a fixed version of Xen and keep the host and guest operating systems up to date with security patches. For further assistance or support in addressing this vulnerability, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for linux-lts →
FAQ
Xen is an open-source hypervisor that enables virtualization on various operating systems.
Systems with a FreeBSD, Linux, or NetBSD dom0 are vulnerable to this issue.
This vulnerability can be exploited by a guest operating system to trigger an out-of-memory condition in the backend, potentially leading to system instability or unavailability.
Updating to Xen version 4.14.x or later, and regularly applying security updates to the host and guest operating systems, can help mitigate the risk associated with this vulnerability.
You can find more information about this vulnerability in the CVE-2020-29568 entry on the VulnDB website or by visiting the provided source link.
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