Null Dereference Vulnerability in dmaengine: idxd
Summary
GSD-2021-1000334: dmaengine: idxd: Fix potential null dereference on pointer status. Affects Kernel versions >= 40e3b5c128645d2ddad12310c7be98758cafb2b0, < 5756f757c72501ef1a16f5f63f940623044180e9. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
Check if this vulnerability affects your application
Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.
No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds
Background
The dmaengine package is a subsystem in the Linux kernel that provides a framework for offloading data transfers to dedicated DMA engines. The idxd driver is a specific driver within dmaengine that supports Intel Data Streaming Accelerator (IDSA) devices. These devices are used for high-performance data movement in various applications. The vulnerability in question is a null dereference issue that exists in the idxd driver.
Vulnerability Detail
The null dereference vulnerability in the dmaengine: idxd driver can potentially lead to a crash or system instability. It occurs when a null pointer is dereferenced, causing the system to access invalid memory. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial-of-service (DoS) condition or execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The vulnerability was introduced in Linux Kernel version v5.10.17 and was fixed in version v5.10.38.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
Tip — Not sure whether your app is affected? Vulert can check the versions your app actually runs. Scan free →
Workaround
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is essential to apply the fix by updating the Linux Kernel to a patched version.
Conclusion
The null dereference vulnerability in the dmaengine: idxd driver can have serious consequences, including system crashes and potential code execution with kernel privileges. It is crucial to update the Linux Kernel to a patched version to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, you can reach out to DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for Kernel →
FAQ
dmaengine is a subsystem in the Linux kernel that provides a framework for offloading data transfers to dedicated DMA engines. It enables efficient data movement between different devices and memory regions.
The idxd driver is a specific driver within dmaengine that supports Intel Data Streaming Accelerator (IDSA) devices. These devices are used for high-performance data movement in various applications.
A null dereference vulnerability occurs when a program or system tries to access memory using a null pointer. This can lead to a crash, system instability, or potential exploitation by attackers.
The potential impacts of this vulnerability include system crashes, instability, denial-of-service (DoS) conditions, and potential execution of arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
To fix this vulnerability, it is recommended to update the Linux Kernel to version v5.10.38 or later. This can be done by downloading the latest kernel source code from the official Linux Kernel repository and compiling it for your system.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for Kernel.
