If a system admin provides a disk (which supports the discard aka TRIM or SCSI UNMAP) to a guest as read-only - there are no checks done.
A privileged guest user could use this flaw to destroy data on the disk to which he otherwise wouldn't have write access to.
References:
http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2013/q2/488
Other sources
The dispatchdiscardio function in drivers/block/xen-blkback/blkback.c in the Xen blkback implementation in the Linux kernel before 3.10.5 allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (data loss) via filesystem write operations on a read-only disk that supports the (1) BLKIFOPDISCARD (aka discard or TRIM) or (2) SCSI UNMAP feature.
CVE-2013-2140 is classified as a high severity vulnerability due to its potential to allow privileged guest users to destroy data on read-only disks.
2
How do I fix CVE-2013-2140?
To mitigate CVE-2013-2140, it is recommended to upgrade to Linux kernel versions 5.10.223-1, 5.10.226-1, 6.1.119-1, 6.1.123-1, 6.12.10-1, or 6.12.11-1.
3
What types of systems are affected by CVE-2013-2140?
CVE-2013-2140 affects Linux systems running specific versions of the Linux kernel prior to version 3.10.5.
4
Can CVE-2013-2140 be exploited remotely?
CVE-2013-2140 requires local access to the guest system for exploitation, therefore, it is not a remote vulnerability.
5
What is the impact of exploiting CVE-2013-2140?
Exploiting CVE-2013-2140 can lead to unauthorized data destruction on disks that are configured as read-only for guest users.
SecAlerts Pty Ltd. 132 Wickham Terrace Fortitude Valley, QLD 4006, Australia info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.