Vulnerability in Kernel (Linux) - hwmon: (w83793)
Summary
GSD-2021-1001604: hwmon: (w83793) Fix NULL pointer dereference by removing unnecessary structure field. Affects Kernel versions < 6cb01fe630eaffc5a2c3f7364436caddba286623. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The Kernel is a critical component of the Linux operating system that manages communication between hardware and software. It provides essential functionalities and drivers for various hardware devices. One of the components within the Kernel is the hwmon subsystem, which handles monitoring and control of hardware sensors. The w83793 driver is responsible for supporting the W83793 hardware monitoring chip. This chip is commonly found on motherboards and provides monitoring capabilities for temperature, voltage, and fan speed. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in the w83793 driver that could lead to a NULL pointer dereference, potentially resulting in a system crash or other unexpected behavior.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the w83793 driver is caused by an unnecessary structure field that can trigger a NULL pointer dereference. This issue can be exploited by an attacker with local access to the system, allowing them to crash the system or potentially execute arbitrary code. The impact of this vulnerability depends on the specific usage of the affected hardware and the privileges of the attacker. It is important to note that the actual attack plausibility and impact have not been proven yet.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Conclusion
The vulnerability in the w83793 driver of the Linux Kernel can lead to a NULL pointer dereference, potentially resulting in a system crash or arbitrary code execution. It is crucial to update the Kernel to the latest version to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
The impact of this vulnerability depends on the specific usage of the affected hardware and the privileges of the attacker. It could potentially lead to a system crash or allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code.
Any system running the Linux Kernel with the w83793 hardware monitoring chip and the vulnerable driver version is potentially affected.
No, this vulnerability requires local access to the system.
There is no evidence of this vulnerability being exploited in the wild at the moment.
You can use tools like Vulert (https://vulert.com) to check if your system is affected by this vulnerability. Vulert uses a manifest file like package-lock.json to monitor and alert in real-time for open-source vulnerabilities in the software.
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