Memory Leak in qla2xxx SCSI Driver
Summary
GSD-2021-1001834: scsi: qla2xxx: Fix a memory leak in an error path of qla2x00_process_els(). Affects Kernel versions >= 8c0eb596baa51f2b43949c698c644727ef17805c, < 96f0aebf29be25254fa585af43924e34aa21fd9a. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The qla2xxx driver is a SCSI driver used in the Linux Kernel. It provides support for QLogic Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapters (HBAs). These HBAs are commonly used in enterprise storage systems. The driver allows communication between the operating system and the Fibre Channel HBA, enabling access to storage devices connected to the HBA. However, a vulnerability has been discovered in the qla2xxx driver that can lead to a memory leak in certain error scenarios.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the qla2xxx driver occurs in the error path of the qla2x00_process_els() function. When processing certain Event-Request/Response (ELS) frames, if an error is encountered, the function fails to release allocated memory, resulting in a memory leak. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted ELS frames, causing the driver to exhaust available memory resources. This could lead to a denial-of-service condition or other unexpected behavior in the system. The vulnerability was introduced in version v3.11 of the Linux Kernel and has been fixed in version v5.10.76.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
As a workaround, users can disable the affected qla2xxx driver if it is not required for their system. This can be done by blacklisting the driver module or removing it from the kernel configuration. However, this workaround should only be considered if the qla2xxx driver is not essential for the system's functionality.
Conclusion
The memory leak vulnerability in the qla2xxx SCSI driver can have serious consequences, including a denial-of-service condition or unexpected system behavior. It is crucial to update the Linux Kernel to version v5.10.76 or later to address this issue. If you have any further questions or need assistance with vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
The vulnerability can lead to a memory leak in the qla2xxx driver, potentially causing a denial-of-service condition or other unexpected behavior in the 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 vulnerabilities are found.
Yes, the vulnerability has been fixed in version v5.10.76 of the Linux Kernel. It is recommended to update to this version or a later one to address the issue.
As a temporary workaround, you can disable the affected qla2xxx driver if it is not necessary for your system. However, updating to the patched version of the Linux Kernel is the recommended solution.
At the time of this report, there are no known exploits for this vulnerability. However, it is important to apply the necessary updates to mitigate the risk.
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