Amazon Linux AMI : kernel (ALAS-2023-1701)

high Nessus Plugin ID 173283

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Synopsis

The remote Amazon Linux AMI host is missing a security update.

Description

The version of kernel installed on the remote host is prior to 4.14.309-159.529. It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities as referenced in the ALAS-2023-1701 advisory.

Detected a few exploitable gadgets that could leak secret memory through a side-channel such as MDS as well as insufficient hardening of the usercopy functions against spectre-v1. (CVE-2023-0458)

Use After Free vulnerability in Linux kernel traffic control index filter (tcindex) allows Privilege Escalation. The imperfect hash area can be updated while packets are traversing, which will cause a use- after-free when 'tcf_exts_exec()' is called with the destroyed tcf_ext. A local attacker user can use this vulnerability to elevate its privileges to root.This issue affects Linux Kernel: from 4.14 before git commit ee059170b1f7e94e55fa6cadee544e176a6e59c2. (CVE-2023-1281)

A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux Kernel traffic control index filter (tcindex) can be exploited to achieve local privilege escalation. The tcindex_delete function which does not properly deactivate filters in case of a perfect hashes while deleting the underlying structure which can later lead to double freeing the structure. A local attacker user can use this vulnerability to elevate its privileges to root.We recommend upgrading past commit 8c710f75256bb3cf05ac7b1672c82b92c43f3d28. (CVE-2023-1829)

When plain IBRS is enabled (not enhanced IBRS), the logic in spectre_v2_user_select_mitigation() determines that STIBP is not needed. The IBRS bit implicitly protects against cross-thread branch targetinjection. However, with legacy IBRS, the IBRS bit is cleared on returning to userspace for performance reasons which leaves userspace threads vulnerable to cross-thread branch target injection against which STIBP protects. (CVE-2023-1998)

A use-after-free flaw was found in iscsi_sw_tcp_session_create in drivers/scsi/iscsi_tcp.c in the SCSI sub-component in the Linux Kernel. This issue could allow an attacker to leak kernel internal information.
(CVE-2023-2162)

In the Linux kernel before 6.1.13, there is a double free in net/mpls/af_mpls.c upon an allocation failure (for registering the sysctl table under a new location) during the renaming of a device. (CVE-2023-26545)

A use-after-free flaw was found in hfsplus_put_super in fs/hfsplus/super.c in the Linux Kernel. This flaw could allow a local user to cause a denial of service. (CVE-2023-2985)

An issue was discovered in drivers/usb/storage/ene_ub6250.c for the ENE UB6250 reader driver in the Linux kernel before 6.2.5. An object could potentially extend beyond the end of an allocation. (CVE-2023-45862)

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

scsi: iscsi_tcp: Fix UAF during login when accessing the shost ipaddress (CVE-2023-52974)

kernel: refcount leak in ctnetlink_create_conntrack() (CVE-2023-7192)

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the tested product security advisory.

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

Solution

Run 'yum update kernel' to update your system.

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 173283

File Name: ala_ALAS-2023-1701.nasl

Version: 1.10

Type: local

Agent: unix

Family: Amazon Linux Local Security Checks

Published: 3/22/2023

Updated: 4/25/2025

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

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 6.7

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 6.8

Temporal Score: 5.3

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

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2023-1829

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.8

Temporal Score: 7

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:P/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:perf, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:perf-debuginfo, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:kernel-tools-debuginfo, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:kernel-tools-devel, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:kernel-tools, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:kernel-devel, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:kernel, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:kernel-debuginfo, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:kernel-headers, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:kernel-debuginfo-common-i686, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64, cpe:/o:amazon:linux

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/AmazonLinux/release, Host/AmazonLinux/rpm-list

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 3/17/2023

Vulnerability Publication Date: 2/25/2023

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2023-0458, CVE-2023-1281, CVE-2023-1829, CVE-2023-1998, CVE-2023-2162, CVE-2023-26545, CVE-2023-2985, CVE-2023-45862, CVE-2023-52974, CVE-2023-7192

Detections

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