USN-5130-1: Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Publication date

9 November 2021

Overview

Several security issues were fixed in the Linux kernel.

Releases


Packages

Details

Jann Horn discovered a race condition in the tty subsystem of the Linux
kernel in the locking for the TIOCSPGRP ioctl(), leading to a use-after-
free vulnerability. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of
service (system crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code. (CVE-2020-29661)

Jann Horn discovered that the tty subsystem of the Linux kernel did not use
consistent locking in some situations, leading to a read-after-free
vulnerability. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of service
(system crash) or possibly expose sensitive information (kernel memory).
(CVE-2020-29660)

Jann Horn discovered a race condition in the tty subsystem of the Linux
kernel in the locking for the TIOCSPGRP ioctl(), leading to a use-after-
free vulnerability. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of
service (system crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code. (CVE-2020-29661)

Jann Horn discovered that the tty subsystem of the Linux kernel did not use
consistent locking in some situations, leading to a read-after-free
vulnerability. A local attacker could use this to cause a denial of service
(system crash) or possibly expose sensitive information (kernel memory).
(CVE-2020-29660)

Update instructions

After a standard system update you need to reboot your computer to make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

ATTENTION: Due to an unavoidable ABI change the kernel updates have been given a new version number, which requires you to recompile and reinstall all third party kernel modules you might have installed. Unless you manually uninstalled the standard kernel metapackages (e.g. linux-generic, linux-generic-lts-RELEASE, linux-virtual, linux-powerpc), a standard system upgrade will automatically perform this as well.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
14.04 trusty linux-image-3.13.0-188-generic –  3.13.0-188.239  
linux-image-3.13.0-188-lowlatency –  3.13.0-188.239  
linux-image-generic –  3.13.0.188.197  
linux-image-lowlatency –  3.13.0.188.197  
linux-image-server –  3.13.0.188.197  
linux-image-virtual –  3.13.0.188.197  

Reduce your security exposure

Ubuntu Pro provides ten-year security coverage to 25,000+ packages in Main and Universe repositories, and it is free for up to five machines.


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