CVE-2019-8912: Use After Free

Published Feb 15, 2019
·
Updated

In the Linux kernel afalgrelease() in crypto/afalg.c neglects to set a NULL value for a certain structure member, which leads to a use-after-free (UAF) in sockfssetattr.

A local attacker can use this flaw to escalate privileges and take control of the system. Other vendors have considered this a 'network' accessible attack, this claim is unsubstantiated at this time.

Note: The attack vector that allowed the use-after-free mentioned in the original report is not introduced in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7, 6 and 5 versions of the kernel.

References:

http://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/1042902/

An upstream patch:

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=9060cb719e61b685ec0102574e10337fa5f445ea

Other sources

In the Linux kernel through 4.20.11, afalgrelease() in crypto/afalg.c neglects to set a NULL value for a certain structure member, which leads to a use-after-free in sockfssetattr.

Affected Software

19 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/kernel-alt<0:4.14.0-115.17.1.el7a
0:4.14.0-115.17.1.el7a
Linux Linux kernel>=4.10<4.14.103
Linux Linux kernel>=4.19<4.19.25
Linux Linux kernel>=4.20<4.20.12
Linux Linux kernel=5.0-rc1
Linux Linux kernel=5.0-rc2
Linux Linux kernel=5.0-rc3
Linux Linux kernel=5.0-rc4
Linux Linux kernel=5.0-rc5
Linux Linux kernel=5.0-rc6
Linux Linux kernel=5.0-rc7
Linux Linux kernel=5.0-rc8
redhat Enterprise Linux=7.0
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=14.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.10
openSUSE Leap=15.0
debian/linux
6.1.176-16.1.180-16.12.94-16.12.107-17.1.12-17.1.13-1

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade redhat/kernel-alt to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 0:4.14.0-115.17.1.el7a
  2. Upgrade

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

    Fixed in 6.1.176-1Fixed in 6.1.180-1Fixed in 6.12.94-1Fixed in 6.12.107-1Fixed in 7.1.12-1Fixed in 7.1.13-1
  3. Upgrade

    Upgrade Linux kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 4.20.11
  4. Upgrade

    Upgrade Linux kernel to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Patch 1042902

Event History

Feb 15, 2019
CVE Published
12:00 AM
Feb 18, 2019
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:29 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Feb 19, 2019
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·11:42 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·11:32 PM
Description
Jul 4, 2026
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·11:29 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Sep 4, 2026
Data Sourced
via Debian·11:27 AM
DescriptionAffected Software

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2019-8912?

CVE-2019-8912 has a high severity rating as it allows local attackers to escalate privileges.

2

How do I fix CVE-2019-8912?

To mitigate CVE-2019-8912, update to the appropriate kernel version that contains the fix, such as 5.10.223-1 or later.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2019-8912?

CVE-2019-8912 affects various Linux kernel versions including those up to 5.0-rc8 and specific distributions like Red Hat and Ubuntu.

4

Can CVE-2019-8912 be exploited remotely?

No, CVE-2019-8912 can only be exploited by local attackers with access to the system.

5

Is there a workaround for CVE-2019-8912?

There are no specific workarounds for CVE-2019-8912, so applying the latest updates is recommended.

Contact

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