{"id":5579,"date":"2014-05-13T13:21:52","date_gmt":"2014-05-13T17:21:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.nccomputertech.com\/?p=5579"},"modified":"2014-05-13T13:21:52","modified_gmt":"2014-05-13T17:21:52","slug":"linux-gets-fix-for-code-execution-flaw-that-was-undetected-since-2009-ars-technica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/05\/13\/linux-gets-fix-for-code-execution-flaw-that-was-undetected-since-2009-ars-technica\/","title":{"rendered":"Linux gets fix for code-execution flaw that was undetected since 2009"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/arstechnica.com\/security\/2014\/05\/linux-gets-fix-for-code-execution-flaw-that-went-unpatched-since-2009\/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arstechnica%2Ftechnology-lab+%28Ars+Technica%3A+Technology+Lab%29\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" height=\"807\" width=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/rockhopper_penguin_sick-640x807.png?resize=640%2C807\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Maintainers of the Linux kernel have patched one of the more serious security bugs to be disclosed in the open source operating system in recent months. The five-year-old code-execution hole leaves computers used in shared Web hosting services particularly vulnerable, so users and administrators should make sure systems are running updated versions that contain a fix.<\/p>\n<p>The memory-corruption vulnerability, which was introduced in version 2.6.31-rc3, released no later than 2009, allows unprivileged users to crash or execute malicious code on vulnerable systems, according to the notes accompanying proof-of-concept code available here. The flaw resides in the n_tty_write function controlling the Linux pseudo tty device.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This is the first serious privilege escalation vulnerability since the perf_events issue (CVE-2013-2049) in April 2013 that is potentially reliably exploitable, is not architecture or configuration dependent, and affects a wide range of Linux kernels (since 2.6.31),&#8221; Dan Rosenberg, a senior security researcher at Azimuth Security, told Ars in an e-mail. &#8220;A bug this serious only comes out once every couple years.&#8221; As Ars reported in May 2013, the then-two-year-old CVE-2013-2049 continued to imperil users more than a month after Linux maintainers quietly released a patch for the gaping hole.<\/p>\n<p>While the vulnerability can be exploited only by someone with an existing account, the requirement may not be hard to satisfy in hosting facilities that provide shared servers, Rosenberg said. It could also come handy in multi-stage attacks that exploit a variety of bugs that, when combined, give the attacker unfettered control over a targeted system. As others have pointed out, the vulnerability also has the potential to affect Google&#8217;s Android and Chrome OSes.<\/p>\n<p>Linux maintainers have committed a fix here, and the patch has already been released for the Ubuntu distributions. Officials with Red Hat say Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 is not vulnerable to the issue, but updates for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 and Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 may be released in the future. The status of Debian is here.<\/p>\n<p>The availability of proof-of-concept code exploiting the flaw is a good indication that it&#8217;s not hard for blackhat hackers to take advantage of organizations running vulnerable servers. Administrators and end users should ensure the systems they oversee or rely on are running up-to-date versions.<\/p>\n<p>via <a href=\"http:\/\/arstechnica.com\/security\/2014\/05\/linux-gets-fix-for-code-execution-flaw-that-went-unpatched-since-2009\/?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arstechnica%2Ftechnology-lab+%28Ars+Technica%3A+Technology+Lab%29\" target=\"_blank\">Linux gets fix for code-execution flaw that was undetected since 2009 | Ars Technica<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maintainers of the Linux kernel have patched one of the more serious security bugs to be disclosed in the open [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,7],"tags":[622,798,1177],"class_list":["post-5579","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-linux","category-security","tag-linux-kernel","tag-patch","tag-vulnerabilities"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/papNkV-1rZ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7586,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2015\/02\/06\/sneaky-linux-malware-comes-with-sophisticated-custom-built-rootkit\/","url_meta":{"origin":5579,"position":0},"title":"Sneaky Linux malware comes with sophisticated custom-built rootkit","author":"NCCT","date":"February 6, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"A malware program designed for Linux systems, including embedded devices with ARM architecture, uses a sophisticated kernel rootkit that\u2019s custom built for each infection. The malware, known as XOR.DDoS, was first spotted in September by security research outfit Malware Must Die. However, it has since evolved and new versions were\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Linux&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Linux","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/linux\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":119,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2012\/11\/28\/new-linux-rootkit-injects-malicious-html-into-web-servers\/","url_meta":{"origin":5579,"position":1},"title":"New Linux rootkit injects malicious HTML into Web servers","author":"NCCT","date":"November 28, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"A newly discovered form of malware that targets Linux servers acting as Web servers allows an attacker to directly inject code into any page on infected servers\u2014including error pages. The rootkit, which was first publicly discussed on the Full Disclosure security e-mail list on November 13, appears to be crafted\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Networking&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Networking","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/networking\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6557,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/10\/10\/meet-linux-kernel-3-17s-best-new-features-xbox-one-controller-support-laptop-free-fall-protection-and-more\/","url_meta":{"origin":5579,"position":2},"title":"Meet Linux kernel 3.17&#8217;s best new features: Xbox One controller support, laptop &#8216;free fall&#8217; protection, and more","author":"NCCT","date":"October 10, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Linux kernel 3.17\u2014part of the series codenamed \u201cShuffling Zombie Juror\u201d (yes, really!)\u2014is now out. This means great new features are coming to a Linux distribution near you, though the 3.17 kernel's changes mostly consist of new and improved hardware support. New versions of the Linux kernel will eventually make their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Linux&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Linux","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/linux\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":6169,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2014\/08\/04\/researchers-uncover-fundamental-usb-security-flaw-no-fix-in-sight\/","url_meta":{"origin":5579,"position":3},"title":"Researchers uncover fundamental USB security flaw, no fix in sight","author":"NCCT","date":"August 4, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"A pair of security researchers from SR Labs have uncovered a fundamental flaw in the way USB devices work. It affects every single USB device out there and worse yet, there's no line of defense short of prohibiting USB stick sharing or filling your USB ports with superglue. The flaw\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Hardware&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Hardware","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/hardware\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8767,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2015\/12\/07\/security-vulnerabilities-found-in-support-software-from-lenovo-toshiba-and-dell\/","url_meta":{"origin":5579,"position":4},"title":"Security vulnerabilities found in support software from Lenovo, Toshiba, and Dell","author":"NCCT","date":"December 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"By Lucian Constantin | PCWorld The number of vulnerabilities discovered in technical support applications installed on PCs by manufacturers keeps piling up. New exploits have been published for flaws in Lenovo Solution Center, Toshiba Service Station and Dell System Detect.The most serious flaws appear to be in Lenovo Solution Center\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Security&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Security","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/security\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3156,"url":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/2013\/08\/09\/hand-of-thief-banking-trojan-doesnt-do-windows-but-it-does-linux\/","url_meta":{"origin":5579,"position":5},"title":"\u201cHand of Thief\u201d banking trojan doesn\u2019t do Windows\u2014but it does Linux","author":"NCCT","date":"August 9, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Signaling criminals' growing interest in attacking non-Windows computers, researchers have discovered banking fraud malware that targets people using the open-source Linux operating system. Hand of Thief, which was recently discovered by researchers from security firm RSA, sells for about $2,000 in underground Internet forums and boasts its own support and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Linux&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Linux","link":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/category\/linux\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/hand-of-thief-640x294.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/hand-of-thief-640x294.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/hand-of-thief-640x294.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5579","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5579"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5579\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5579"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5579"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nccomputertech.com\/techtalk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5579"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}