CVE-2016-4565: High severity Linux Linux kernel vulnerability

Published Feb 22, 2016
·
Updated

It was reported that drivers/infiniband stack uses write() as a replacement for bi-directional ioctl(), which is not safe. There are ways to trigger write calls that result in the return structure that is normally written to user space being shunted off to user specified kernel memory instead.

A local unprivileged user on a system with rdmaucm module loaded could use this flaw to escalate their privileges.

Upstream patch:

https://git.kernel.org/linus/e6bd18f57aad1a2d1ef40e646d03ed0f2515c9e3

CVE-ID request and assignment:

http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2016/q2/269 http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2016/q2/274

Other sources

The InfiniBand (aka IB) stack in the Linux kernel before 4.5.3 incorrectly relies on the write system call, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (kernel memory write operation) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a uAPI interface.

Launchpad

Affected Software

15 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel<3.2.81
Linux Linux kernel>=3.3<3.10.103
Linux Linux kernel>=3.11<3.12.61
Linux Linux kernel>=3.13<3.14.76
Linux Linux kernel>=3.15<3.16.36
Linux Linux kernel>=3.17<3.18.34
Linux Linux kernel>=3.19<4.1.25
Linux Linux kernel>=4.2<4.4.9
Linux Linux kernel>=4.5<4.5.3
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=12.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=14.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=15.10
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.04
Debian Debian Linux=8.0
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.234-16.1.129-16.1.135-16.12.25-16.12.27-1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.10.223-1Fixed in 5.10.234-1Fixed in 6.1.129-1Fixed in 6.1.135-1Fixed in 6.12.25-1Fixed in 6.12.27-1
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.10.223-1
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.10.234-1
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.1.129-1
  5. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.1.135-1
  6. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.12.25-1
  7. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 6.12.27-1
  8. Configuration

    Unload the rdma_ucm kernel module and blacklist it to prevent it from being loaded until the system kernel is updated to a fixed version.

    kernel module rdma_ucm loaded = disabled/blacklisted

Event History

Feb 22, 2016
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·09:23 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
May 23, 2016
CVE Published
via MITRE·10:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·10:00 AM
Description
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·10:19 PM
Description
Sep 16, 2024
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·01:14 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Apr 28, 2025
Data Sourced
via Debian·03:32 AM
DescriptionAffected Software
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the vulnerability ID for this vulnerability?

The vulnerability ID for this vulnerability is CVE-2016-4565.

2

What is the affected software?

The affected software is the InfiniBand (aka IB) stack in the Linux kernel before 4.5.3.

3

What is the severity of CVE-2016-4565?

The severity of CVE-2016-4565 is high.

4

How can local users exploit this vulnerability?

Local users can exploit this vulnerability by causing a denial of service (kernel memory write operation) or possibly having unspecified other impact via a uAPI interface.

5

How can I fix CVE-2016-4565?

To fix CVE-2016-4565, update the Linux kernel to version 4.5.3 or later.

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