Overview
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system has identified a significant vulnerability within the Linux kernel that could potentially lead to system compromise or data leakage. This vulnerability, tagged as CVE-2024-26625, affects a broad range of systems and devices running on certain versions of the Linux kernel. It is a critical issue due to its potential to be exploited by malicious actors to compromise system integrity and confidentiality, drawing attention from system administrators, cybersecurity professionals, and Linux users in general.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2024-26625
Severity: High; CVSS Score 7.8
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Linux Kernel | 6.8.0-rc1 and prior versions
How the Exploit Works
The exploit works by taking advantage of a stale sk->sk_wq pointer in a closed llc socket, as reported by syzbot. This vulnerability was caused by the absence of a sock_orphan() call at the release time of the llc socket. By exploiting this vulnerability, a malicious actor can cause a use-after-free condition, leading to potential system compromise or data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Exploiting this vulnerability requires complex procedures and in-depth knowledge of the Linux kernel’s inner workings, making it difficult to provide a simple example. However, a conceptual demonstration of the exploit might involve the following steps:
1. A malicious network packet is crafted and sent to the target system.
2. The packet triggers the creation of a llc socket, which is subsequently closed without calling sock_orphan().
3. The stale sk->sk_wq pointer is used to manipulate the kernel memory, leading to a use-after-free condition and potentially compromising the system or leaking data.
While the above steps are not immediately executable, they represent the general approach an attacker would take to exploit this vulnerability. To protect against such an attack, apply the vendor patch as soon as possible or use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as a temporary mitigation measure. It’s important to note that these temporary measures will not completely secure your system, but they can provide a layer of protection while a more permanent solution is put in place.