Overview

The Linux kernel is the heart of the Linux operating system and acts as the bridge between the operating system software and the hardware. It is responsible for translating the user's commands into actions carried out by the computer's hardware. The Linux kernel is constantly evolving and being updated to address new issues, fix bugs and improve performance. Recently, a vulnerability was discovered in the kernel's crypto subsystem. The vulnerability affects the QuickAssist Technology (QAT) driver specifically.

Description of Vulnerability (CVE-2024-53162)

This vulnerability is officially termed as CVE-2024-53162 and it lies within the crypto source code of the kernel. It pertains to an off-by-one error in the "uof_get_name()" function of the "qat/qat_4xxx" module. Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to an out of bounds read, potentially causing undesirable system behavior or even crashing the system.

Code Snippet

The problematic code snippet can be found in the following location of the Linux kernel source code: drivers/crypto/qat/qat_4xxx/adf_uof.c. The issue lies in the loop condition on line 372:

for (i = ; i < num_objs; i++) {
    if (!strcmp(fw_objs[i].name, obj_name)) {
        *obj = &fw_objs[i];
        return ;
    }
}

The variable num_objs represents the number of objects in the fw_objs[] array. The for loop condition should be written as i < num_objs - 1, since fw_objs[] starts counting from index .

So, the correct code should be

for (i = ; i < num_objs - 1; i++) {
    if (!strcmp(fw_objs[i].name, obj_name)) {
        *obj = &fw_objs[i];
        return ;
    }
}

The official detail of the vulnerability can be found in the following website

https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-53162

The source code repository where the fix is being applied can be accessed here

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/

Exploit Details

Since this is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the kernel, it can be potentially exploited by attackers to read data that would normally be inaccessible to them. In some circumstances, this can lead to an attacker gaining unauthorized access to sensitive information or even crashing the targeted system. However, the likelihood of such attack scenarios is relatively low as this vulnerability exists within a driver module, which usually does not get exposed directly to attackers.

Nonetheless, it is always a good practice to keep your Linux kernel up to date with the latest patches to avoid running into any issues in the future.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-53162 is a vulnerability in the Linux kernel that can lead to out-of-bounds read due to an off-by-one error in the uof_get_name() function. As a user, you should ensure that your Linux kernel is up to date with the latest patches to avoid any potential exploitation of this vulnerability. It is also recommended to keep an eye on updates and discussions surrounding other Linux kernel vulnerabilities to remain proactive in addressing such security issues.

Timeline

Published on: 12/24/2024 12:15:24 UTC
Last modified on: 03/06/2025 12:42:52 UTC