Format string vulnerability in the register_disk function in block/genhd.c in the Linux kernel through 3.9.4 allows local users to gain privileges by leveraging root access and writing format string specifiers to /sys/module/md_mod/parameters/new_array in order to create a crafted /dev/md device name.
The product uses a function that accepts a format string as an argument, but the format string originates from an external source.
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux_kernel | Linux | * | 3.9.4 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9-rc1 (including) | 3.9-rc1 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9-rc2 (including) | 3.9-rc2 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9-rc3 (including) | 3.9-rc3 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9-rc4 (including) | 3.9-rc4 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9-rc5 (including) | 3.9-rc5 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9-rc6 (including) | 3.9-rc6 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9-rc7 (including) | 3.9-rc7 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9.0 (including) | 3.9.0 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9.1 (including) | 3.9.1 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9.2 (including) | 3.9.2 (including) |
| Linux_kernel | Linux | 3.9.3 (including) | 3.9.3 (including) |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | RedHat | kernel-0:2.6.32-431.el6 | * |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.3 EUS - Server and Compute Node Only | RedHat | kernel-0:2.6.32-279.39.1.el6 | * |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.4 Extended Update Support | RedHat | kernel-0:2.6.32-358.37.1.el6 | * |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | RedHat | kernel-rt-0:3.6.11.5-rt37.55.el6rt | * |
| Linux | Ubuntu | lucid | * |
| Linux | Ubuntu | precise | * |
| Linux | Ubuntu | precise/esm | * |
| Linux | Ubuntu | quantal | * |
| Linux | Ubuntu | raring | * |
| Linux | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-armadaxp | Ubuntu | precise | * |
| Linux-armadaxp | Ubuntu | quantal | * |
| Linux-armadaxp | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-aws | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-ec2 | Ubuntu | lucid | * |
| Linux-ec2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-flo | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
| Linux-flo | Ubuntu | trusty/esm | * |
| Linux-flo | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-flo | Ubuntu | utopic | * |
| Linux-flo | Ubuntu | vivid | * |
| Linux-flo | Ubuntu | vivid/stable-phone-overlay | * |
| Linux-flo | Ubuntu | wily | * |
| Linux-flo | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
| Linux-flo | Ubuntu | yakkety | * |
| Linux-fsl-imx51 | Ubuntu | lucid | * |
| Linux-fsl-imx51 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-gke | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-goldfish | Ubuntu | saucy | * |
| Linux-goldfish | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
| Linux-goldfish | Ubuntu | trusty/esm | * |
| Linux-goldfish | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-grouper | Ubuntu | saucy | * |
| Linux-grouper | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
| Linux-grouper | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-grouper | Ubuntu | utopic | * |
| Linux-hwe | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-hwe-edge | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-linaro-omap | Ubuntu | precise | * |
| Linux-linaro-omap | Ubuntu | quantal | * |
| Linux-linaro-omap | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-linaro-shared | Ubuntu | precise | * |
| Linux-linaro-shared | Ubuntu | quantal | * |
| Linux-linaro-shared | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-linaro-vexpress | Ubuntu | precise | * |
| Linux-linaro-vexpress | Ubuntu | quantal | * |
| Linux-linaro-vexpress | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-lts-backport-maverick | Ubuntu | lucid | * |
| Linux-lts-backport-maverick | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-lts-quantal | Ubuntu | precise | * |
| Linux-lts-quantal | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-lts-raring | Ubuntu | precise | * |
| Linux-lts-raring | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-lts-trusty | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-lts-utopic | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-lts-vivid | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-lts-wily | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-lts-xenial | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-maguro | Ubuntu | saucy | * |
| Linux-maguro | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
| Linux-maguro | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | saucy | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | trusty/esm | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | utopic | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | vivid | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | vivid/stable-phone-overlay | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | wily | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
| Linux-mako | Ubuntu | yakkety | * |
| Linux-manta | Ubuntu | saucy | * |
| Linux-manta | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
| Linux-manta | Ubuntu | trusty/esm | * |
| Linux-manta | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-manta | Ubuntu | utopic | * |
| Linux-manta | Ubuntu | vivid | * |
| Linux-manta | Ubuntu | wily | * |
| Linux-mvl-dove | Ubuntu | lucid | * |
| Linux-mvl-dove | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-qcm-msm | Ubuntu | lucid | * |
| Linux-qcm-msm | Ubuntu | precise | * |
| Linux-qcm-msm | Ubuntu | quantal | * |
| Linux-qcm-msm | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-raspi2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-raspi2 | Ubuntu | vivid/ubuntu-core | * |
| Linux-snapdragon | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
| Linux-ti-omap4 | Ubuntu | precise | * |
| Linux-ti-omap4 | Ubuntu | quantal | * |
| Linux-ti-omap4 | Ubuntu | raring | * |
| Linux-ti-omap4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
When an attacker can modify an externally-controlled format string, this can lead to buffer overflows, denial of service, or data representation problems. It should be noted that in some circumstances, such as internationalization, the set of format strings is externally controlled by design. If the source of these format strings is trusted (e.g. only contained in library files that are only modifiable by the system administrator), then the external control might not itself pose a vulnerability.