Ubuntu 16.04 LTS : Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities (USN-3523-2)

high Nessus Plugin ID 105747

Synopsis

The remote Ubuntu host is missing one or more security updates.

Description

The remote Ubuntu 16.04 LTS host has a package installed that is affected by multiple vulnerabilities as referenced in the USN-3523-2 advisory.

- The check_alu_op function in kernel/bpf/verifier.c in the Linux kernel through 4.4 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption) or possibly have unspecified other impact by leveraging incorrect sign extension. (CVE-2017-16995)

- kernel/bpf/verifier.c in the Linux kernel through 4.14.8 ignores unreachable code, even though it would still be processed by JIT compilers. This behavior, also considered an improper branch-pruning logic issue, could possibly be used by local users for denial of service. (CVE-2017-17862)

- kernel/bpf/verifier.c in the Linux kernel 4.9.x through 4.9.71 does not check the relationship between pointer values and the BPF stack, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (integer overflow or invalid memory access) or possibly have unspecified other impact. (CVE-2017-17863)

- kernel/bpf/verifier.c in the Linux kernel through 4.14.8 mishandles states_equal comparisons between the pointer data type and the UNKNOWN_VALUE data type, which allows local users to obtain potentially sensitive address information, aka a pointer leak. (CVE-2017-17864)

- Systems with microprocessors utilizing speculative execution and indirect branch prediction may allow unauthorized disclosure of information to an attacker with local user access via a side-channel analysis of the data cache. (CVE-2017-5754)

Note that Nessus has not tested for these issues but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Update the affected kernel package.

See Also

https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-3523-2

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 105747

File Name: ubuntu_USN-3523-2.nasl

Version: 3.20

Type: local

Agent: unix

Published: 1/11/2018

Updated: 1/9/2024

Supported Sensors: Agentless Assessment, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Frictionless Assessment AWS, Frictionless Assessment Azure, Nessus Agent, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Critical

Score: 9.7

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.2

Temporal Score: 6.3

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2017-17863

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.8

Temporal Score: 7.5

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:H/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-image-4.13.0-1005-azure, p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-image-4.13.0-1006-gcp, p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-image-4.13.0-1015-oem, p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-image-4.13.0-26-generic, p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-image-4.13.0-26-generic-lpae, p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-image-4.13.0-26-lowlatency, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts

Required KB Items: Host/cpu, Host/Ubuntu, Host/Ubuntu/release, Host/Debian/dpkg-l

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 1/10/2018

Vulnerability Publication Date: 12/27/2017

Exploitable With

Core Impact

Metasploit (Linux BPF Sign Extension Local Privilege Escalation)

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2017-16995, CVE-2017-17862, CVE-2017-17863, CVE-2017-17864, CVE-2017-5754

IAVA: 2018-A-0019

USN: 3523-2