CVE-2019-5489

The mincore() implementation in mm/mincore.c in the Linux kernel through 4.19.13 allowed local attackers to observe page cache access patterns of other processes on the same system, potentially allowing sniffing of secret information. (Fixing this affects the output of the fincore program.) Limited remote exploitation may be possible, as demonstrated by latency differences in accessing public files from an Apache HTTP Server.

Weakness

The product transmits sensitive or security-critical data in cleartext in a communication channel that can be sniffed by unauthorized actors.

Affected Software

Extended Description

Many communication channels can be “sniffed” (monitored) by adversaries during data transmission. For example, in networking, packets can traverse many intermediary nodes from the source to the destination, whether across the internet, an internal network, the cloud, etc. Some actors might have privileged access to a network interface or any link along the channel, such as a router, but they might not be authorized to collect the underlying data. As a result, network traffic could be sniffed by adversaries, spilling security-critical data. Applicable communication channels are not limited to software products. Applicable channels include hardware-specific technologies such as internal hardware networks and external debug channels, supporting remote JTAG debugging. When mitigations are not applied to combat adversaries within the product’s threat model, this weakness significantly lowers the difficulty of exploitation by such adversaries. When full communications are recorded or logged, such as with a packet dump, an adversary could attempt to obtain the dump long after the transmission has occurred and try to “sniff” the cleartext from the recorded communications in the dump itself.

Potential Mitigations

Related Attack Patterns

• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/102.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/117.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/383.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/477.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/65.html

References

• http://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=574823bfab82d9d8fa47f422778043fbb4b4f50e
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-05/msg00071.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00039.html
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-06/msg00048.html
• http://www.huawei.com/en/psirt/security-advisories/huawei-sa-20200115-01-pagecache-en
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/106478
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2029
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2043
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2473
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2808
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2809
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2837
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3309
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3517
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:3967
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:4056
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:4057
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:4058
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:4159
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:4164
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:4255
• https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2020:0204
• https://arxiv.org/abs/1901.01161
• https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1120843
• https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/574823bfab82d9d8fa47f422778043fbb4b4f50e
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/06/msg00010.html
• https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2019/06/msg00011.html
• https://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Jun/26
• https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20190307-0001/
• https://www.debian.org/security/2019/dsa-4465
• https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2020.html
• https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/01/05/boffins_beat_page_cache/