Shift-out-of-bounds Vulnerability in sched/fair
Summary
GSD-2021-1000374: sched/fair: Fix shift-out-of-bounds in load_balance(). Affects Kernel versions >= 5a7f555904671c0737819fe4d19bd6143de3f6c0, < 80862cbf76c2646f709a57c4517aefe0b094c774. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The Linux Kernel is a widely used open-source operating system that serves as the foundation for many Linux distributions. It provides essential functionality for managing system resources, including process scheduling. The 'sched/fair' component of the kernel is responsible for load balancing between CPU cores to optimize performance. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in the load_balance() function of 'sched/fair' that can lead to a shift-out-of-bounds issue.
Vulnerability Detail
The shift-out-of-bounds vulnerability in load_balance() occurs when a shift operation exceeds the size of the data type being shifted. This can result in unexpected behavior, including memory corruption or crashes. An attacker may be able to exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges or execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability was introduced in version v5.10 of the Linux Kernel and has been fixed in version v5.10.37.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
If updating the kernel is not immediately feasible, a temporary workaround is to disable the affected functionality. This can be achieved by modifying the kernel configuration to exclude the 'sched/fair' component or by using kernel boot parameters to disable load balancing. However, it is important to note that these workarounds may impact system performance and should only be considered as a temporary solution.
Conclusion
The shift-out-of-bounds vulnerability in load_balance() of the 'sched/fair' component in the Linux Kernel can have serious security implications. It is crucial to update the kernel to version v5.10.37 or later to mitigate this vulnerability. If you need further assistance or support in addressing this vulnerability, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
The shift-out-of-bounds vulnerability in load_balance() can potentially allow an attacker to gain elevated privileges or execute arbitrary code. It may lead to system instability, crashes, or memory corruption.
You can use the Vulert Playground (https://vulert.com/scanner) to check if your system is affected by this vulnerability. Simply upload your package-lock.json file and the playground will analyze it for any open-source vulnerabilities, including this one.
At the time of this report, there is no known public exploit for this vulnerability. However, it is always recommended to apply security patches promptly to mitigate any potential risks.
This vulnerability requires local access to the system in order to exploit it. Remote exploitation is not possible unless an attacker already has privileged access to the target system.
The primary solution is to update the Linux Kernel to the fixed version. However, if updating the kernel is not immediately feasible, you can consider implementing additional security measures such as strict access controls, network segmentation, and regular system monitoring to mitigate the risk.
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