Linux kernel add_key, request_key, and keyctl race condition denial of service

kernel-addkey-dos (25354) The risk level is classified as LowLow Risk

Description:

Linux kernel is vulnerable to a denial of service caused by a race condition in the add_key, request_key, and keyctl functions. A local attacker could exploit this vulnerability by modifying the length of a string argument between the time that the kernel calculates the length and when it copies the data into kernel memory, which would allow the attacker to cause a denial of service or read portions of kernel memory.

Platforms Affected:

  • Canonical, Ubuntu 4.10
  • Canonical, Ubuntu 5.04
  • Canonical, Ubuntu 5.10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test8
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test9
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.1 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.1 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.10 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc1-bk6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.12
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.8
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.9
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.6 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.7 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8.1.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.9
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux 2006
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux 2006 X86_64
  • Novell, UnitedLinux 1.0
  • RedHat, Enterprise Linux 4 AS
  • RedHat, Enterprise Linux 4 ES
  • RedHat, Enterprise Linux 4 WS
  • RedHat, Enterprise Linux 4 Desktop
  • SuSE, Linux Enterprise Server 8
  • SuSE, Linux Enterprise Server 9
  • SuSE, SuSE Linux 10.0
  • SuSE, SuSE Linux 9.1
  • SuSE, SuSE Linux 9.2
  • SuSE, SuSE Linux 9.3
  • SuSE, SuSE Linux Desktop 1.0
  • SuSE, SuSE SLES 9

Remedy:

Upgrade to the latest stable version of Linux Kernel (2.6.16 or later), available from The Linux Kernel Archives. See References.

For Red Hat Linux 4:
Refer to RHSA-2006:0575-22 for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information. See References.

For Ubuntu Linux:
Refer to USN-263-1 for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information. See References.

For SUSE Linux:
Refer to SUSE-SA:2006:028 for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information. See References.

For other distributions:
Contact your vendor for upgrade or patch information.

Consequences:

Denial of Service

References:

  • The The Linux Kernel Archives Web site, The Linux Kernel Archives at http://www.kernel.org/.
  • ASA-2006-200: Updated kernel packages available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 Update 4 (RHSA-2006-0575)
  • BID-17084: Linux Kernel Security Key Functions Local Copy_To_User Race Vulnerability
  • CVE-2006-0457: Race condition in the (1) add_key, (2) request_key, and (3) keyctl functions in Linux kernel 2.6.x allows local users to cause a denial of service (crash) or read sensitive kernel memory by modifying the length of a string argument between the time that the kernel calculates the length and when it copies the data into kernel memory.
  • MDKSA-2006:059: Updated kernel packages fix multiple vulnerabilities
  • OSVDB ID: 23894: Linux Kernel Multiple Function String Length Modification Race Condition Local Information Disclosure
  • RHSA-2006-0575: Updated kernel packages available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 Update 4
  • SA22417: Avaya Products Linux Kernel Multiple Vulnerabilities
  • SUSE-SA:2006:028: various kernel security problems
  • USN-263-1: Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Reported:

Mar 13, 2006

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