CVE-2011-2484
First published: Wed Jun 22 2011(Updated: )
Currently a single process may register exit handlers unlimited times. It may lead to a bloated listeners chain and very slow process terminations. E.g. after 10KK sent TASKSTATS_CMD_ATTR_REGISTER_CPUMASKs ~300 Mb of kernel memory is stolen for the handlers chain and "time id" shows 2-7 seconds instead of normal 0.003. It makes it possible to exhaust all kernel memory and to eat much of CPU time by triggerring numerous exits on a single CPU ie it makes it possible for unprivileged user eat kernel memory and CPU without triggering OOM killer. Introduced in f9fd8914c1acca0d98b69d831b128d5b52f03c51. References: <a href="http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2011/q2/664">http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2011/q2/664</a> <a href="http://lists.openwall.net/linux-kernel/2011/06/16/605">http://lists.openwall.net/linux-kernel/2011/06/16/605</a> Acknowledgements: Red Hat would like to thank Vasiliy Kulikov of Openwall for reporting this issue.
Credit: secalert@redhat.com
| Affected Software | Affected Version | How to fix |
|---|---|---|
| debian/linux-2.6 | ||
| Linux kernel | <=2.6.39.1 | |
| Linux Kernel | <=2.6.39.1 |
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Reference Links
- http://lists.openwall.net/linux-kernel/2011/06/16/605
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/06/22/2
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/06/22/1
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/48383
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=715436
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/68150
- https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2011-2484
- http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2011/q2/664
- http://git.kernel.org/linus/26c4caea9d697043cc5a458b96411b86d7f6babd
- https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-1386.html
- https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-1350.html
- https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011-1253.html
- https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2011-2484
- https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2011-2484
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-2484
- https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2011-2484
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2011-2484?
CVE-2011-2484 has a moderate severity as it affects the performance of the Linux kernel due to a possible memory bloat.
How do I fix CVE-2011-2484?
To fix CVE-2011-2484, increase the limitations on the number of exit handlers that can be registered in the Linux kernel.
Which versions of Linux are affected by CVE-2011-2484?
CVE-2011-2484 affects Linux Kernel versions up to and including 2.6.39.1.
What are the implications of CVE-2011-2484?
The implications of CVE-2011-2484 include slow process terminations and excessive memory consumption by the listeners chain.
Who is primarily affected by CVE-2011-2484?
Primarily, users running vulnerable versions of the Linux kernel in environments with high TASKSTATS_CMD_ATTR_REGISTER_CPUMASK usage are affected by CVE-2011-2484.
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