Double Free Vulnerability in HID: elan
Summary
GSD-2022-1003433: HID: elan: Fix potential double free in elan_input_configured. Affects Kernel versions >= b7429ea53d6c0936a0f10a5d64164f0aea440143, < 24f9dfdaece9bd75bb8dbfdba83eddeefdf7dc47. 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 HID: elan package is a component of the Linux Kernel, which is responsible for handling input devices. It includes drivers for various touchpads, including those manufactured by Elan. These drivers allow the kernel to communicate with and control the touchpad hardware. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in the elan_input_configured function, which could lead to a double free issue.
Vulnerability Detail
The double free vulnerability in elan_input_configured arises from a programming error in the HID: elan package. When configuring an Elan touchpad, the function may incorrectly free the memory associated with the touchpad configuration twice. This can result in memory corruption and potentially lead to a system crash or the execution of arbitrary code by an attacker with local access to the affected system.
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
As a temporary workaround, users can disable the affected touchpad driver by blacklisting the 'hid-elan' module. This can be done by adding the following line to the '/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf' file:
blacklist hid-elan
After adding the line, the system needs to be rebooted for the changes to take effect. However, it is strongly recommended to apply the official fix by updating the Linux Kernel as soon as possible.
Conclusion
The double free vulnerability in HID: elan can have serious consequences, including memory corruption and potential code execution. It is crucial to update the Linux Kernel to version v5.15.46 or later to mitigate this vulnerability. In the meantime, users can apply a temporary workaround by blacklisting the 'hid-elan' module. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for Kernel →
FAQ
The double free vulnerability in HID: elan can potentially lead to memory corruption, system crashes, or the execution of arbitrary code by an attacker with local access to the affected system.
You can use the Vulert Playground at Vulert Scanner to check if your system is affected by this vulnerability. Simply upload your package-lock.json file to the playground, and it will analyze the dependencies and alert you if any known vulnerabilities, including this one, are found.
Yes, a temporary workaround is to blacklist the 'hid-elan' module. This can be done by adding the line 'blacklist hid-elan' to the '/etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf' file and rebooting the system. However, it is recommended to apply the official fix by updating the Linux Kernel.
The official fix for this vulnerability is included in Linux Kernel version v5.15.46 or later. Users can obtain the updated kernel from the official Linux Kernel repository.
This vulnerability was discovered by an automated security analysis tool and reported to the Linux Kernel security team.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for Kernel.
