Use-after-free vulnerability in watchdog package
Summary
UVI-2021-1001478: watchdog: Fix possible use-after-free by calling del_timer_sync(). Affects Kernel versions < 58606882ad8ec6c39e0f40344b922921ef94ab4d. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The watchdog package is a component of the Linux Kernel ecosystem. It provides a mechanism for monitoring the system's health and taking corrective actions in case of failures. The watchdog functionality relies on timers to periodically check the system's status and trigger appropriate actions. However, a use-after-free vulnerability has been discovered in the watchdog package, which could potentially lead to security breaches or system instability.
Vulnerability Detail
The use-after-free vulnerability in the watchdog package arises from improper handling of timers. Specifically, there is a possibility of accessing a timer after it has been freed, leading to undefined behavior. An attacker could potentially exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or cause a denial-of-service condition. The vulnerability has been assigned the ID UVI-2021-1001478 and has been fixed in Linux Kernel version v4.4.276 by commit 58606882ad8ec6c39e0f40344b922921ef94ab4d.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
No workaround has been mentioned for this vulnerability.
Conclusion
The use-after-free vulnerability in the watchdog package can pose significant security risks and system instability. It is crucial to update the Linux Kernel to the fixed version or apply the specific commit to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, you can reach out to DevNack.com.
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FAQ
The vulnerability could potentially allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or cause a denial-of-service condition.
At the time of this report, no known exploits have been reported for this vulnerability.
The vulnerability is present in versions prior to v4.4.276 of the Linux Kernel.
The recommended mitigation is to update the Linux Kernel to version v4.4.276 or later.
For more details about this vulnerability, you can refer to the source link provided in the database_specific field of the vulnerability details.
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