CVE-2015-5281: Low severity red hat enterprise linux vulnerability
Quoting from bug #1262904: """ Description of problem:
Long long ago somebody committed http://pkgs.devel.redhat.com/cgit/rpms/grub2/commit/?h=rhel-7.2&id=909ac684df7a662e7afd9d45d546ad97d363d197 to our grub2 packages in RHEL 7. While the first hunk is correct, the second hunk is pretty much purely wrong. The last two changes got reverted immediately, but the multiboot and multiboot2 modules remained built in.
Those modules /should not/ function on UEFI systems, but there's no code in them that actually stops them from doing so, and therefore they allow a user to load non-verified code, such as tools to circumvent Secure Boot.
Since Secure Boot is a security feature of RHEL 7, that means this is a security problem in RHEL 7.
Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):
It's everything in RHEL 7.
How reproducible:
100% of the time; there's no conditional behavior here. The user can do it from the boot menu of there's no password set, or if they've already rooted the machine they can do it from the config file.
Steps to Reproduce: 1. write a multiboot module that replaces some EFI runtime call pointers or whatever other attack you might like 2. add it to the configfile to load before the linux kernel, loading the kernel as a mutliboot module. 3. reboot.
Actual results:
linux thinks secure boot is intact when in fact it has been circumvented and boot time rootkits are present.
Expected results:
the module is rejected. """
Other sources
The grub2 package before 2.02-0.29 in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7, when used on UEFI systems, allows local users to bypass intended Secure Boot restrictions and execute non-verified code via a crafted (1) multiboot or (2) multiboot2 module in the configuration file or physically proximate attackers to bypass intended Secure Boot restrictions and execute non-verified code via the (3) boot menu.
— MITRE
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2015-5281?
CVE-2015-5281 is classified as a moderate severity vulnerability.
How do I fix CVE-2015-5281?
To fix CVE-2015-5281, upgrade the affected software to the latest patched version provided by Red Hat.
Which systems are affected by CVE-2015-5281?
CVE-2015-5281 affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions 7.0.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2015-5281?
CVE-2015-5281 is a vulnerability related to improper input validation in the Grub2 package.
What impact can CVE-2015-5281 have on my system?
Exploitation of CVE-2015-5281 could lead to potential unauthorized access or system instability.