Race Condition Affecting kernel-debug-uki-virt package, versions <0:5.14.0-284.77.1.el9_2


Severity

Recommended
0.0
medium
0
10

Based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux security rating.

Threat Intelligence

EPSS
0.05% (18th percentile)

Do your applications use this vulnerable package?

In a few clicks we can analyze your entire application and see what components are vulnerable in your application, and suggest you quick fixes.

Test your applications

Snyk Learn

Learn about Race Condition vulnerabilities in an interactive lesson.

Start learning
  • Snyk IDSNYK-RHEL9-KERNELDEBUGUKIVIRT-7652473
  • published8 Aug 2024
  • disclosed3 Apr 2024

Introduced: 3 Apr 2024

CVE-2024-26737  (opens in a new tab)
CWE-362  (opens in a new tab)
CWE-416  (opens in a new tab)

How to fix?

Upgrade RHEL:9 kernel-debug-uki-virt to version 0:5.14.0-284.77.1.el9_2 or higher.
This issue was patched in RHSA-2024:5066.

NVD Description

Note: Versions mentioned in the description apply only to the upstream kernel-debug-uki-virt package and not the kernel-debug-uki-virt package as distributed by RHEL. See How to fix? for RHEL:9 relevant fixed versions and status.

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

bpf: Fix racing between bpf_timer_cancel_and_free and bpf_timer_cancel

The following race is possible between bpf_timer_cancel_and_free and bpf_timer_cancel. It will lead a UAF on the timer->timer.

bpf_timer_cancel(); spin_lock(); t = timer->time; spin_unlock();

                bpf_timer_cancel_and_free();
                    spin_lock();
                    t = timer-&gt;timer;
                    timer-&gt;timer = NULL;
                    spin_unlock();
                    hrtimer_cancel(&amp;t-&gt;timer);
                    kfree(t);

/* UAF on t */ hrtimer_cancel(&amp;t-&gt;timer);

In bpf_timer_cancel_and_free, this patch frees the timer->timer after a rcu grace period. This requires a rcu_head addition to the "struct bpf_hrtimer". Another kfree(t) happens in bpf_timer_init, this does not need a kfree_rcu because it is still under the spin_lock and timer->timer has not been visible by others yet.

In bpf_timer_cancel, rcu_read_lock() is added because this helper can be used in a non rcu critical section context (e.g. from a sleepable bpf prog). Other timer->timer usages in helpers.c have been audited, bpf_timer_cancel() is the only place where timer->timer is used outside of the spin_lock.

Another solution considered is to mark a t->flag in bpf_timer_cancel and clear it after hrtimer_cancel() is done. In bpf_timer_cancel_and_free, it busy waits for the flag to be cleared before kfree(t). This patch goes with a straight forward solution and frees timer->timer after a rcu grace period.

CVSS Scores

version 3.1