CVE-2014-3122

The try_to_unmap_cluster function in mm/rmap.c in the Linux kernel before 3.14.3 does not properly consider which pages must be locked, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (system crash) by triggering a memory-usage pattern that requires removal of page-table mappings.

Weakness

The product does not properly control the allocation and maintenance of a limited resource.

Affected Software

Potential Mitigations

• Mitigation of resource exhaustion attacks requires that the target system either:

• The first of these solutions is an issue in itself though, since it may allow attackers to prevent the use of the system by a particular valid user. If the attacker impersonates the valid user, they may be able to prevent the user from accessing the server in question.

• The second solution is simply difficult to effectively institute – and even when properly done, it does not provide a full solution. It simply makes the attack require more resources on the part of the attacker.

Related Attack Patterns

• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/147.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/227.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/492.html

References

• http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=57e68e9cd65b4b8eb4045a1e0d0746458502554c
• http://secunia.com/advisories/59386
• http://secunia.com/advisories/59599
• http://www.debian.org/security/2014/dsa-2926
• http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.14.3
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/05/01/7
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/67162
• http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2240-1
• https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1093076
• https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/57e68e9cd65b4b8eb4045a1e0d0746458502554c
• http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux-2.6.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=57e68e9cd65b4b8eb4045a1e0d0746458502554c
• http://secunia.com/advisories/59386
• http://secunia.com/advisories/59599
• http://www.debian.org/security/2014/dsa-2926
• http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v3.x/ChangeLog-3.14.3
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/05/01/7
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/67162
• http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2240-1
• https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1093076
• https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/57e68e9cd65b4b8eb4045a1e0d0746458502554c