UBUNTU-CVE-2021-28714: High severity ubuntu/linux-azure vulnerability
Guest can force Linux netback driver to hog large amounts of kernel memory T[his CNA information record relates to multiple CVEs; the text explains which aspects/vulnerabilities correspond to which CVE.] Incoming data packets for a guest in the Linux kernel's netback driver are buffered until the guest is ready to process them. There are some measures taken for avoiding to pile up too much data, but those can be bypassed by the guest: There is a timeout how long the client side of an interface can stop consuming new packets before it is assumed to have stalled, but this timeout is rather long (60 seconds by default). Using a UDP connection on a fast interface can easily accumulate gigabytes of data in that time. (CVE-2021-28715) The timeout could even never trigger if the guest manages to have only one free slot in its RX queue ring page and the next package would require more than one free slot, which may be the case when using GSO, XDP, or software hashing. (CVE-2021-28714)
Affected Software
Remediation
Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.
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ubuntu/linux-azureto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1131.144~14.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-awsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.4.0-1161.167 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-lts-xenialto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.4.0-290.324~14.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-aws-hweto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1120.128~16.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azureto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1131.144~16.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcpto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1116.130~16.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-hweto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-169.177~16.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracleto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1087.95~16.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linuxto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.4.0-290.324 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-awsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.4.0-1199.214 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-kvmto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.4.0-1162.173 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.4.0-1131.138 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linuxto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-169.177 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-awsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1121.129 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-aws-5.4to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1069.73~18.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-4.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1131.144 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-5.4to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1073.76~18.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-dell300xto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1035.40 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcp-4.15to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1116.130 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.4to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1068.72~18.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gke-5.4to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1066.69~18.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gkeop-5.4to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1037.38~18.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.4to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-105.119~18.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-ibm-5.4to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1018.20~18.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-kvmto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1107.109 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracleto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1087.95 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.4to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1067.72~18.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-raspi-5.4to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1056.63~18.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-raspi2to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1103.110 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-snapdragonto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1120.129 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-aws-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-2061.63 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-2043.47 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-1078.87 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcp-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 4.15.0-2026.28 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linuxto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-105.119 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-awsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1069.73 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-aws-5.13to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.13.0-1019.21~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azureto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1073.76 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-5.13to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.13.0-1021.24~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-bluefieldto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1032.35 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcpto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1068.72 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcp-5.13to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.13.0-1021.25~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gketo a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1066.69 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gkeopto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1037.38 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-hwe-5.13to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.13.0-37.42~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-ibmto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1018.20 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-kvmto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1059.62 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oem-5.14to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.14.0-1022.24 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracleto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1067.72 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-oracle-5.13to a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.13.0-1025.30~20.04.1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-raspito a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1056.63 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-aws-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1069.73+fips2 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-azure-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1073.76+fips1 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1046.52 - Upgrade
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ubuntu/linux-gcp-fipsto a version that resolves this vulnerability.Fixed in 5.4.0-1067.71~20.04.1
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
Which systems are exposed to this issue?
Systems using the Linux netback driver for guest networking are exposed. The affected Ubuntu kernel package families listed are linux-fips, linux-azure, linux-aws, linux-aws-fips, linux-azure-fips, linux-gcp-fips, linux-gcp, and linux-oracle.
What must a guest do to trigger the memory exhaustion condition?
A guest needs to stop or constrain consumption of incoming packets so that its RX queue has only one free slot while the next packet requires multiple slots. The description identifies GSO, XDP, or software hashing as cases in which a packet may require more than one free slot, preventing the stall timeout from triggering.
What is the practical impact on the host?
A guest can cause the Linux netback driver to retain large amounts of kernel memory. This can result in host availability impact through kernel-memory exhaustion.