CVE-2007-4574 in Red Hat
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the "stack unwinder fixes" in kernel in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, when running on AMD64 and Intel 64, allows local users to cause a denial of service via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4574 represents a critical weakness within the Linux kernel's stack unwinder implementation specifically affecting Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 systems operating on AMD64 and Intel 64 architectures. This issue falls under the broader category of kernel-level vulnerabilities that can severely impact system stability and availability. The stack unwinder is a crucial component responsible for traversing the call stack during exception handling and debugging operations, making it a fundamental element of kernel operation. When this component contains unspecified flaws, it creates potential attack vectors that can be exploited by local malicious actors to disrupt normal system operations. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the kernel processes certain stack unwinding operations, suggesting that the underlying implementation contains logic errors or boundary condition failures that can be triggered through specific code execution patterns.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the kernel's handling of stack frame information during unwinding operations, which is a core functionality for debugging, profiling, and exception management. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability relates to CWE-119: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer, as the stack unwinder may not properly validate or restrict memory access during stack traversal operations. The unspecified nature of the exact vectors suggests that multiple code paths within the stack unwinder implementation may contain similar flaws, making the vulnerability particularly challenging to fully characterize and address. The fact that this affects only 64-bit architectures indicates that the issue is likely related to specific register handling or memory addressing modes unique to these processor families, particularly in how the kernel manages the stack pointer and frame pointer during execution.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables local users to execute a denial of service attack against the target system, potentially causing system instability, kernel panics, or complete system crashes. The local privilege requirement means that an attacker must already have user-level access to the system, but this represents a significant security concern as it allows for system compromise without requiring elevated privileges. The attack can be executed through unknown vectors, which suggests that the exploitation mechanism may involve complex stack manipulation or specific code sequences that trigger the kernel's stack unwinder in unexpected ways. This vulnerability could be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where system stability is paramount, as it could be leveraged to disrupt critical business operations or serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service as it may also provide opportunities for privilege escalation or information disclosure depending on how the stack unwinder failure manifests.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-4574 should focus on applying the appropriate security patches provided by Red Hat, which would include kernel updates containing corrected stack unwinder implementations. System administrators should prioritize patching affected RHEL 5 systems as soon as possible, as this vulnerability represents a persistent risk to system availability. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unusual stack unwinding behavior or system crashes may help identify exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques related to privilege escalation and denial of service, specifically covering T1068: Exploitation for Privilege Escalation and T1499: Endpoint Denial of Service. Organizations should also consider implementing least privilege principles and restricting local user access where possible to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date kernel versions and following security best practices for enterprise Linux deployments, particularly in environments where system availability and reliability are critical factors for business operations.