vulnerability announce CVE-2009-3234

Linux kernel: privilege elevation via perf_counter_open

Synthesis of the vulnerability

A local attacker can generate a buffer overflow in perf_counter_open() in order to obtain system privileges.

Severity: 2/4. Creation date: 16/09/2009.

Impacted products

• Linux kernel

Description of the vulnerability

The Linux kernel version 2.6.31 provides the perf_counter_open() system call, to obtain statistics. Parameters of perf_counter_open() are transmitted to perf_copy_attr(), which does not check if the size to copy is superior to the size of attributes. An overflow this occurs. A local attacker can therefore generate a buffer overflow in perf_counter_open() in order to obtain system privileges.

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Complete Vigil@nce bulletin

Linux kernel: privilege elevation via perf_counter_open

Characteristics

Title: Linux kernel: privilege elevation via perf_counter_open. Keywords: Linux elevation kernel perf_copy_attr perf_counter_open privilege. Identifiers: BID-36423, CVE-2009-3234, VIGILANCE-VUL-9027.

Information sources

Publications and announces Source example: perf_counter: fix buffer overflow in perf_copy_attr()

Solutions for this vulnerability

Patch or workaround

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