Memory Leak in RDS Receive Message Function in Linux Kernel
Summary
UVI-2021-1000916: net: rds: fix memory leak in rds_recvmsg. Affects Kernel versions >= bdbe6fbc6a2f2ccfb384b141b257677d2a8d36fb, < 2038cd15eacdf7512755c27686822e0052eb9042. 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 Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, responsible for managing system resources and providing an interface for applications to interact with the hardware. RDS (Reliable Datagram Sockets) is a protocol used for high-performance, low-latency communication between processes on different machines. The rds_recvmsg function in the kernel's networking subsystem is responsible for receiving RDS messages. However, a memory leak vulnerability has been discovered in this function.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability in the rds_recvmsg function of the Linux Kernel allows an attacker to trigger a memory leak. By sending specially crafted RDS messages, an attacker can cause the kernel to allocate memory that is not properly freed, leading to a continuous consumption of system resources. This can result in a denial-of-service condition, where the system becomes unresponsive due to resource exhaustion. The vulnerability was introduced in version 2.6.30 of the Linux Kernel and has been fixed in version 5.4.128.
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
There is no known workaround for this vulnerability. It is recommended to apply the fix by updating the Linux Kernel.
Conclusion
The memory leak vulnerability in the rds_recvmsg function of the Linux Kernel can be exploited to cause a denial-of-service condition. It is crucial to update the Linux Kernel to version 5.4.128 or later to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
See every vulnerability recorded for Kernel →
FAQ
The vulnerability can lead to a denial-of-service condition, where the system becomes unresponsive due to resource exhaustion.
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 Vulert will analyze it for any open-source vulnerabilities, including this one.
At the time of this report, there is no known exploit for this vulnerability. However, it is important to apply the fix as soon as possible to prevent any potential attacks.
Yes, this vulnerability can be exploited remotely by sending specially crafted RDS messages to the affected system.
The only effective mitigation for this vulnerability is to apply the fix by updating the Linux Kernel to version 5.4.128 or later.
Related vulnerabilities
Recent vulnerabilities recorded for Kernel.
