Linux Kernel - Multiple Vulnerabilities
Summary
DLA-1232-1: linux - security update. Affects linux versions < 3.2.96-3. Fixed in 3.2.96-3. How to fix ↓
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Background
The Linux kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system. It provides essential functionality and interfaces for various hardware devices, system processes, and user applications. The kernel is responsible for managing system resources, executing processes, and ensuring security and stability. However, several vulnerabilities have been discovered in the Linux kernel that could lead to privilege escalation, denial of service, or information leaks.
Vulnerability Detail
One of the vulnerabilities affecting the Linux kernel is known as Meltdown (CVE-2017-5754). It is a hardware vulnerability found in Intel processors that allows an attacker controlling an unprivileged process to read memory from arbitrary addresses, including the kernel and other processes running on the system. This vulnerability, also referred to as Kernel Page Table Isolation, has been addressed in the Linux kernel for the Intel x86-64 architecture through a patch set. The patch enforces a near complete separation of the kernel and userspace address maps, preventing the Meltdown attack. However, enabling this solution may have a performance impact, and it can be disabled at boot time by passing `pti=off' to the kernel command line.
Another vulnerability (CVE-2017-17558) affects the USB core in the Linux kernel. It arises from incorrect handling of certain error conditions during initialization. A physically present user with a specially designed USB device can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service or potentially escalate privileges.
Additionally, the KVM implementation for x86 in the Linux kernel suffers from a vulnerability (CVE-2017-17741) that allows over-reading of data from memory when emulating an MMIO write. If the kvm_mmio tracepoint is enabled, a guest virtual machine can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service.
The Salsa20 block cipher implementation in some Linux kernel versions has a flaw (CVE-2017-17805) where it does not handle zero-length input correctly. A local user can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service or potentially have other security impacts.
Another vulnerability (CVE-2017-17806) affects the HMAC implementation in the Linux kernel. It allows the use of an underlying hash algorithm that requires a key, which was not intended. A local user can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service or potentially escalate privileges.
The KEYS subsystem in the Linux kernel lacks a check for write permission when adding keys to a process's default keyring (CVE-2017-17807). A local user can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service or obtain sensitive information.
How To Fix
Minimum fixed version
3.2.96-3
This is the first release that contains the fix.
sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade linuxTip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →
Conclusion
Multiple vulnerabilities have been discovered in the Linux kernel, including Meltdown, USB core vulnerability, KVM vulnerability, Salsa20 block cipher vulnerability, HMAC vulnerability, and KEYS subsystem vulnerability. It is crucial to upgrade the Linux kernel to version 3.2.96-3 or later to mitigate these vulnerabilities. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for linux →
FAQ
Meltdown is a hardware vulnerability found in Intel processors that allows an attacker to read memory from arbitrary addresses, including the kernel and other processes running on the system. The Linux kernel has addressed this vulnerability through a patch set named Kernel Page Table Isolation, which enforces a near complete separation of the kernel and userspace address maps.
An attacker with physical access to the system can use a specially designed USB device to trigger certain error conditions during USB core initialization. This can lead to a denial of service or potentially escalate privileges.
The KVM vulnerability allows a guest virtual machine to over-read data from memory when emulating an MMIO write. If the kvm_mmio tracepoint is enabled, this can result in a denial of service.
The Salsa20 block cipher implementation in some Linux kernel versions does not handle zero-length input correctly. A local user can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service or potentially have other security impacts.
The HMAC vulnerability allows the use of an underlying hash algorithm that requires a key, which was not intended. A local user can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service or potentially escalate privileges.
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