Memory Leak Vulnerability in perf bench futex
Summary
GSD-2021-1002327: perf bench futex: Fix memory leak of perf_cpu_map__new(). Affects Kernel versions >= 9c3516d1b850ea938b074df33e4c86d721c77720, < 99643bdc6ff1c75ccd2871368fbcd20e8231d77e. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The perf bench futex is a performance benchmarking tool in the Linux Kernel. It is used to measure the performance of futex system calls. Futex is a fast user-space locking mechanism that allows processes to synchronize their operations efficiently. The tool creates a CPU map to track the performance of different CPUs. However, a memory leak vulnerability has been discovered in the perf_cpu_map__new() function, which is used to create the CPU map. This vulnerability can lead to memory exhaustion and potential denial-of-service attacks.
Vulnerability Detail
The memory leak vulnerability in perf bench futex occurs due to a failure to release allocated memory in the perf_cpu_map__new() function. When the function is called multiple times, it allocates memory for the CPU map but fails to free it, resulting in a memory leak. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by repeatedly triggering the creation of CPU maps, leading to memory exhaustion and potential system instability. The impact of this vulnerability can range from performance degradation to complete system unresponsiveness.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
As a temporary workaround, users can avoid using the perf bench futex tool or limit its usage to minimize the risk of memory exhaustion. However, this is not a permanent solution and updating the Linux Kernel is strongly advised.
Conclusion
The memory leak vulnerability in perf bench futex can lead to memory exhaustion and potential denial-of-service attacks. It is crucial to update the Linux Kernel to the latest version to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
perf bench futex is a performance benchmarking tool in the Linux Kernel used to measure the performance of futex system calls.
A memory leak vulnerability occurs when a program fails to release allocated memory, leading to memory exhaustion and potential system instability.
The impact of this vulnerability can range from performance degradation to complete system unresponsiveness.
To fix this vulnerability, update the Linux Kernel to version v5.15.5 or later.
As a temporary workaround, users can avoid using the perf bench futex tool or limit its usage to minimize the risk of memory exhaustion.
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