In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ipmi: Fix UAF when uninstall ipmi_si and ipmi_msghandler module
Hi,
When testing install and uninstall of ipmi_si.ko and ipmi_msghandler.ko, the system crashed.
The log as follows: [ 141.087026] BUG: unable to handle kernel paging request at ffffffffc09b3a5a [ 141.087241] PGD 8fe4c0d067 P4D 8fe4c0d067 PUD 8fe4c0f067 PMD 103ad89067 PTE 0 [ 141.087464] Oops: 0010 [#1] SMP NOPTI [ 141.087580] CPU: 67 PID: 668 Comm: kworker/67:1 Kdump: loaded Not tainted 4.18.0.x86_64 #47 [ 141.088009] Workqueue: events 0xffffffffc09b3a40 [ 141.088009] RIP: 0010:0xffffffffc09b3a5a [ 141.088009] Code: Bad RIP value. [ 141.088009] RSP: 0018:ffffb9094e2c3e88 EFLAGS: 00010246 [ 141.088009] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffff9abfdb1f04a0 RCX: 0000000000000000 [ 141.088009] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000246 RDI: 0000000000000246 [ 141.088009] RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: ffff9abfffee3cb8 R09: 00000000000002e1 [ 141.088009] R10: ffffb9094cb73d90 R11: 00000000000f4240 R12: ffff9abfffee8700 [ 141.088009] R13: 0000000000000000 R14: ffff9abfdb1f04a0 R15: ffff9abfdb1f04a8 [ 141.088009] FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff9abfffec0000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 141.088009] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 141.088009] CR2: ffffffffc09b3a30 CR3: 0000008fe4c0a001 CR4: 00000000007606e0 [ 141.088009] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 [ 141.088009] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 [ 141.088009] PKRU: 55555554 [ 141.088009] Call Trace: [ 141.088009] ? process_one_work+0x195/0x390 [ 141.088009] ? worker_thread+0x30/0x390 [ 141.088009] ? process_one_work+0x390/0x390 [ 141.088009] ? kthread+0x10d/0x130 [ 141.088009] ? kthread_flush_work_fn+0x10/0x10 [ 141.088009] ? ret_from_fork+0x35/0x40] BUG: unable to handle kernel paging request at ffffffffc0b28a5a [ 200.223240] PGD 97fe00d067 P4D 97fe00d067 PUD 97fe00f067 PMD a580cbf067 PTE 0 [ 200.223464] Oops: 0010 [#1] SMP NOPTI [ 200.223579] CPU: 63 PID: 664 Comm: kworker/63:1 Kdump: loaded Not tainted 4.18.0.x86_64 #46 [ 200.224008] Workqueue: events 0xffffffffc0b28a40 [ 200.224008] RIP: 0010:0xffffffffc0b28a5a [ 200.224008] Code: Bad RIP value. [ 200.224008] RSP: 0018:ffffbf3c8e2a3e88 EFLAGS: 00010246 [ 200.224008] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: ffffa0799ad6bca0 RCX: 0000000000000000 [ 200.224008] RDX: 0000000000000000 RSI: 0000000000000246 RDI: 0000000000000246 [ 200.224008] RBP: 0000000000000000 R08: ffff9fe43fde3cb8 R09: 00000000000000d5 [ 200.224008] R10: ffffbf3c8cb53d90 R11: 00000000000f4240 R12: ffff9fe43fde8700 [ 200.224008] R13: 0000000000000000 R14: ffffa0799ad6bca0 R15: ffffa0799ad6bca8 [ 200.224008] FS: 0000000000000000(0000) GS:ffff9fe43fdc0000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 [ 200.224008] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 [ 200.224008] CR2: ffffffffc0b28a30 CR3: 00000097fe00a002 CR4: 00000000007606e0 [ 200.224008] DR0: 0000000000000000 DR1: 0000000000000000 DR2: 0000000000000000 [ 200.224008] DR3: 0000000000000000 DR6: 00000000fffe0ff0 DR7: 0000000000000400 [ 200.224008] PKRU: 55555554 [ 200.224008] Call Trace: [ 200.224008] ? process_one_work+0x195/0x390 [ 200.224008] ? worker_thread+0x30/0x390 [ 200.224008] ? process_one_work+0x390/0x390 [ 200.224008] ? kthread+0x10d/0x130 [ 200.224008] ? kthread_flush_work_fn+0x10/0x10 [ 200.224008] ? ret_from_fork+0x35/0x40 [ 200.224008] kernel fault(0x1) notification starting on CPU 63 [ 200.224008] kernel fault(0x1) notification finished on CPU 63 [ 200.224008] CR2: ffffffffc0b28a5a [ 200.224008] —[ end trace c82a412d93f57412 ]—
The reason is as follows: T1: rmmod ipmi_si. ->ipmi_unregister_smi() -> ipmi_bmc_unregister() -> __ipmi_bmc_unregister() -> kref_put(&bmc->usecount, cleanup_bmc_device); -> schedule_work(&bmc->remove_work);
T2: rmmod ipmi_msghandl —truncated—
Referencing memory after it has been freed can cause a program to crash, use unexpected values, or execute code.
Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
---|---|---|---|
Linux_kernel | Linux | 4.15 (including) | 4.19.223 (excluding) |
Linux_kernel | Linux | 4.20 (including) | 5.4.169 (excluding) |
Linux_kernel | Linux | 5.5 (including) | 5.10.89 (excluding) |
Linux_kernel | Linux | 5.11 (including) | 5.15.12 (excluding) |
Linux_kernel | Linux | 5.16-rc1 (including) | 5.16-rc1 (including) |
Linux_kernel | Linux | 5.16-rc2 (including) | 5.16-rc2 (including) |
Linux_kernel | Linux | 5.16-rc3 (including) | 5.16-rc3 (including) |
Linux_kernel | Linux | 5.16-rc4 (including) | 5.16-rc4 (including) |
Linux_kernel | Linux | 5.16-rc5 (including) | 5.16-rc5 (including) |
Linux_kernel | Linux | 5.16-rc6 (including) | 5.16-rc6 (including) |
Linux | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-allwinner-5.19 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-allwinner-5.19 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-aws | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-aws | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-aws | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-5.0 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-aws-5.0 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-aws-5.0 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-5.11 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-aws-5.11 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-5.13 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-aws-5.13 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-5.19 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-aws-5.19 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-5.3 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-aws-5.3 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-aws-5.3 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-5.4 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-aws-5.4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-5.8 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-aws-5.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-6.2 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-aws-6.2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-6.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-fips | Ubuntu | fips-updates/bionic | * |
Linux-aws-fips | Ubuntu | fips-updates/focal | * |
Linux-aws-fips | Ubuntu | fips/bionic | * |
Linux-aws-fips | Ubuntu | fips/focal | * |
Linux-aws-fips | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
Linux-aws-fips | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-fips | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-aws-hwe | Ubuntu | esm-infra/xenial | * |
Linux-aws-hwe | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-aws-hwe | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-azure | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-azure | Ubuntu | esm-infra-legacy/trusty | * |
Linux-azure | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-azure | Ubuntu | esm-infra/xenial | * |
Linux-azure | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-azure | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
Linux-azure | Ubuntu | trusty/esm | * |
Linux-azure | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-azure-4.15 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-azure-4.15 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-azure-4.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-5.11 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-azure-5.11 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-5.13 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-azure-5.13 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-5.19 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-azure-5.19 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-5.3 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-azure-5.3 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-azure-5.3 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-5.4 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-azure-5.4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-5.8 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-azure-5.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-6.2 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-azure-6.2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-6.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-edge | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-azure-edge | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-azure-edge | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-fde | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-azure-fde | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-fde-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-fde-5.19 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-azure-fde-5.19 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-fde-6.2 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-azure-fde-6.2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-fips | Ubuntu | fips-updates/bionic | * |
Linux-azure-fips | Ubuntu | fips-updates/focal | * |
Linux-azure-fips | Ubuntu | fips/bionic | * |
Linux-azure-fips | Ubuntu | fips/focal | * |
Linux-azure-fips | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
Linux-azure-fips | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-azure-fips | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-bluefield | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-bluefield | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-fips | Ubuntu | fips-updates/bionic | * |
Linux-fips | Ubuntu | fips-updates/focal | * |
Linux-fips | Ubuntu | fips/bionic | * |
Linux-fips | Ubuntu | fips/focal | * |
Linux-fips | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-gcp | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-gcp | Ubuntu | esm-infra/xenial | * |
Linux-gcp | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-gcp | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-gcp-4.15 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-gcp-4.15 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-gcp-4.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-5.11 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-gcp-5.11 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-5.13 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-gcp-5.13 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-5.19 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-gcp-5.19 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-5.3 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-gcp-5.3 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-gcp-5.3 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-5.4 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-gcp-5.4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-5.8 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-gcp-5.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-6.2 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-gcp-6.2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-6.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-fips | Ubuntu | fips-updates/bionic | * |
Linux-gcp-fips | Ubuntu | fips-updates/focal | * |
Linux-gcp-fips | Ubuntu | fips/bionic | * |
Linux-gcp-fips | Ubuntu | fips/focal | * |
Linux-gcp-fips | Ubuntu | trusty | * |
Linux-gcp-fips | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gcp-fips | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-gke | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-gke | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gke | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-gke-4.15 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-gke-4.15 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-gke-4.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gke-5.15 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-gke-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gke-5.4 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-gke-5.4 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-gke-5.4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gkeop | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-gkeop | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gkeop-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-gkeop-5.4 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-gkeop-5.4 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-gkeop-5.4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-hwe | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-hwe | Ubuntu | esm-infra/xenial | * |
Linux-hwe | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-hwe-5.11 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-hwe-5.11 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-5.13 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-hwe-5.13 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-5.19 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-hwe-5.19 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-5.4 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-hwe-5.4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-5.8 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-hwe-5.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-6.11 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-6.2 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-hwe-6.2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-6.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-edge | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-hwe-edge | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-hwe-edge | Ubuntu | esm-infra/xenial | * |
Linux-hwe-edge | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-hwe-edge | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-ibm | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-ibm | Ubuntu | mantic | * |
Linux-ibm | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-ibm-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-ibm-5.4 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-ibm-5.4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-intel | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-intel-5.13 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-intel-5.13 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-intel-iot-realtime | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-intel-iotg | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-intel-iotg-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-iot | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-kvm | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-kvm | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-kvm | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-kvm | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-laptop | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-lowlatency | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-lts-xenial | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-nvidia | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-nvidia-6.2 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-nvidia-6.2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-nvidia-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-nvidia-6.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-nvidia-lowlatency | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-oem | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-oem | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-oem-5.10 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-oem-5.10 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem-5.13 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-oem-5.13 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem-5.14 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-oem-5.14 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem-5.17 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-oem-5.17 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem-5.6 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-oem-5.6 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem-6.0 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-oem-6.0 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem-6.1 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem-6.11 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oem-6.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-oracle | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-oracle | Ubuntu | esm-infra/xenial | * |
Linux-oracle | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-oracle | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-oracle-5.0 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-oracle-5.0 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-oracle-5.0 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle-5.11 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-oracle-5.11 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle-5.13 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-oracle-5.13 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle-5.3 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-oracle-5.3 | Ubuntu | esm-infra/bionic | * |
Linux-oracle-5.3 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle-5.4 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-oracle-5.4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle-5.8 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-oracle-5.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-oracle-6.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-raspi | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-raspi | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-raspi-5.4 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-raspi-5.4 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-raspi-realtime | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-raspi2 | Ubuntu | bionic | * |
Linux-raspi2 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-raspi2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-raspi2 | Ubuntu | xenial | * |
Linux-realtime | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-realtime | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-riscv | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-riscv | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-riscv | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-riscv-5.11 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-riscv-5.11 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-riscv-5.15 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-riscv-5.19 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-riscv-5.19 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-riscv-5.8 | Ubuntu | focal | * |
Linux-riscv-5.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-riscv-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-riscv-6.8 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-starfive | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-starfive-5.19 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-starfive-5.19 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-starfive-6.2 | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-starfive-6.2 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-starfive-6.5 | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Linux-xilinx-zynqmp | Ubuntu | jammy | * |
Linux-xilinx-zynqmp | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
The use of previously-freed memory can have any number of adverse consequences, ranging from the corruption of valid data to the execution of arbitrary code, depending on the instantiation and timing of the flaw. The simplest way data corruption may occur involves the system’s reuse of the freed memory. Use-after-free errors have two common and sometimes overlapping causes:
In this scenario, the memory in question is allocated to another pointer validly at some point after it has been freed. The original pointer to the freed memory is used again and points to somewhere within the new allocation. As the data is changed, it corrupts the validly used memory; this induces undefined behavior in the process. If the newly allocated data happens to hold a class, in C++ for example, various function pointers may be scattered within the heap data. If one of these function pointers is overwritten with an address to valid shellcode, execution of arbitrary code can be achieved.