1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-2792-1

USN-2792-1: Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Publication date

5 November 2015

Overview

Several security issues were fixed in the kernel.

Releases

Packages

Details

Dmitry Vyukov discovered that the Linux kernel did not properly initialize
IPC object state in certain situations. A local attacker could use this to
escalate their privileges, expose confidential information, or cause a
denial of service (system crash). (CVE-2015-7613)

It was discovered that the Linux kernel did not check if a new IPv6 MTU set
by a user space application was valid. A remote attacker could forge a
route advertisement with an invalid MTU that a user space daemon like
NetworkManager would honor and apply to the kernel, causing a denial of
service. (CVE-2015-0272)

It was discovered that in certain situations, a directory could be renamed
outside of a bind mounted location. An attacker could use this to escape
bind mount containment and gain access to sensitive information.
(

Dmitry Vyukov discovered that the Linux kernel did not properly initialize
IPC object state in certain situations. A local attacker could use this to
escalate their privileges, expose confidential information, or cause a
denial of service (system crash). (CVE-2015-7613)

It was discovered that the Linux kernel did not check if a new IPv6 MTU set
by a user space application was valid. A remote attacker could forge a
route advertisement with an invalid MTU that a user space daemon like
NetworkManager would honor and apply to the kernel, causing a denial of
service. (CVE-2015-0272)

It was discovered that in certain situations, a directory could be renamed
outside of a bind mounted location. An attacker could use this to escape
bind mount containment and gain access to sensitive information.
(CVE-2015-2925)

Moein Ghasemzadeh discovered that the USB WhiteHEAT serial driver contained
hardcoded attributes about the USB devices. An attacker could construct a
fake WhiteHEAT USB device that, when inserted, causes a denial of service
(system crash). (CVE-2015-5257)

Update instructions

After a standard system update you need to reboot your computer to make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

ATTENTION: Due to an unavoidable ABI change the kernel updates have been given a new version number, which requires you to recompile and reinstall all third party kernel modules you might have installed. If you use linux-restricted-modules, you have to update that package as well to get modules which work with the new kernel version. Unless you manually uninstalled the standard kernel metapackages (e.g. linux-generic, linux-server, linux-powerpc), a standard system upgrade will automatically perform this as well.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
12.04 precise linux-image-3.2.0-93-omap –  3.2.0-93.133
linux-image-3.2.0-93-generic –  3.2.0-93.133
linux-image-3.2.0-93-powerpc-smp –  3.2.0-93.133
linux-image-3.2.0-93-powerpc64-smp –  3.2.0-93.133
linux-image-3.2.0-93-virtual –  3.2.0-93.133
linux-image-3.2.0-93-generic-pae –  3.2.0-93.133
linux-image-3.2.0-93-highbank –  3.2.0-93.133

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References

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