CVE-2024-35875: Vulnerability in linux-libc-dev package - Require seeding RNG with RDRAND on CoCo systems
Summary
CVE-2024-35875: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: x86/coco: Require seeding RNG with RDRAND on CoCo systems There are few uses of CoCo that don't rely on working cryptography and hence a working RNG. Affects linux versions 5.10.103-1 – 6.9.9-1. No fix is published. How to fix ↓
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Background
The linux-libc-dev package is a development package that provides the necessary header files and libraries for compiling C programs that use the Linux kernel interfaces. It is an essential component for building and running applications on Linux systems. This vulnerability specifically affects the linux-libc-dev package version 6.1.90-1.
Vulnerability Detail
The vulnerability (CVE-2024-35875) addressed in this report pertains to the x86/coco subsystem in the Linux kernel. CoCo systems are designed to protect guest virtual machines (VMs) from potentially malicious host environments. However, in CoCo systems, the VM host cannot be fully trusted and may attempt to extract secrets or manipulate computations. To mitigate this risk, the CoCo VMs rely on a random number generator (RNG) for cryptographic operations. This vulnerability arises from the fact that CoCo systems have limited sources of entropy, with RDRAND being the primary source. If RDRAND is broken, the RNG cannot gather entropy from other sources, leading to catastrophic consequences. The vulnerability primarily affects the boot process, as the initial seeding of the RNG is crucial. To address this, the linux-libc-dev package version 6.1.90-1 introduces a feature that attempts to seed the RNG using 256 bits of RDRAND output at boot time. If this seeding process fails, the system will panic, ensuring a safe CoCo boot.
How To Fix
No fixed version is published for this vulnerability.
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Workaround
There is no specific workaround mentioned for this vulnerability. However, ensuring that the linux-libc-dev package is updated to the latest version will address the issue.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the linux-libc-dev package version 6.1.90-1 is affected by a vulnerability (CVE-2024-35875) in the x86/coco subsystem of the Linux kernel. This vulnerability poses a risk to CoCo systems, where the VM host cannot be fully trusted. By updating the linux-libc-dev package to version 6.1.90-1 or later, the vulnerability can be mitigated. For further support on vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.
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FAQ
The linux-libc-dev package provides header files and libraries for compiling C programs that use the Linux kernel interfaces. It is an essential component for building and running applications on Linux systems.
CoCo refers to a subsystem in the Linux kernel that aims to protect guest virtual machines (VMs) from potentially malicious host environments. It ensures that the VMs can rely on a trusted source of entropy for cryptographic operations.
RDRAND is an instruction available on certain x86 processors that generates random numbers. In CoCo systems, RDRAND is the primary source of entropy for the random number generator (RNG) used by guest VMs.
If RDRAND is broken, meaning it is unable to generate random numbers due to a CPU hardware fault, the RNG in CoCo systems cannot gather entropy from other sources. This can have catastrophic implications for the security of the VMs.
To update the linux-libc-dev package, you can use the package manager specific to your Linux distribution. For example, on Debian-based systems, you can run 'sudo apt-get update' followed by 'sudo apt-get upgrade linux-libc-dev'.
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