CVE-2013-0160: Infoleak
A security flaw was found in the way "/dev/ptmx", a character device used to create a pseudo-terminal master (PTM) and slave (PTS) pair, of the Linux kernel, used to transmit data through the PTM when a keystroke was pressed. An unprivileged, local user could use this flaw to determine inter-keystroke timing (measure latency between keystrokes), possibly allowing them to determine effective length of an password being typed in.
References: [1] http://vladz.devzero.fr/013ptmx-timing.php [2] http://users.ece.cmu.edu/~dawnsong/papers/ssh-timing.pdf [3] http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/01/07/5 [4] https://bugzilla.novell.com/showbug.cgi?id=797175
Reproducers: [5] http://vladz.devzero.fr/svn/codes/PoC/ptmx-keystroke-latency.c (to display latency between keystrokes) [6] http://vladz.devzero.fr/svn/codes/PoC/ptmx-su-pwdlen.sh (to determine password length)
This issue was found by researcher with nickname vladz.
Other sources
The Linux kernel through 3.7.9 allows local users to obtain sensitive information about keystroke timing by using the inotify API on the /dev/ptmx device.
— Launchpad
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2013-0160?
CVE-2013-0160 has a medium severity rating, as it allows unprivileged local users to potentially disclose sensitive information.
How do I fix CVE-2013-0160?
To fix CVE-2013-0160, upgrade your Linux kernel to a version that includes the patch addressing this vulnerability.
What systems are affected by CVE-2013-0160?
CVE-2013-0160 affects Linux kernel versions 3.0 through 3.4, including various release candidates.
Who discovered CVE-2013-0160?
CVE-2013-0160 was discovered by security researchers who reported it to the respective Linux kernel maintainers.
Is CVE-2013-0160 still a risk today?
While CVE-2013-0160 is an old vulnerability, systems running affected versions of the Linux kernel without patches can still be at risk.