CVE-2017-1000407 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
The Linux Kernel 2.6.32 and later are affected by a denial of service, by flooding the diagnostic port 0x80 an exception can be triggered leading to a kernel panic.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/17/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-1000407 represents a critical denial of service flaw within the Linux kernel affecting versions 2.6.32 and later. This vulnerability specifically targets the diagnostic port 0x80, which serves as a communication channel for kernel debugging and diagnostic information. The flaw exploits a weakness in how the kernel handles certain diagnostic port communications, creating a pathway for malicious actors to trigger system instability through carefully crafted input sequences.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of diagnostic port exceptions within the kernel's communication protocols. When an attacker floods the diagnostic port 0x80 with specific malformed data patterns, the kernel's exception handling mechanism fails to properly process these inputs, resulting in a kernel panic condition. This occurs because the kernel lacks adequate input validation and error handling routines for diagnostic port communications, allowing malicious payloads to bypass normal operational safeguards.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant threat to system availability and stability. A successful exploitation of CVE-2017-1000407 can lead to complete system shutdowns, requiring manual intervention for recovery. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level, making it difficult to detect and mitigate without system-level access. Organizations running affected kernel versions face potential downtime and service disruption, especially in environments where system reliability is paramount such as enterprise servers, embedded systems, and critical infrastructure components.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks. This classification reflects the nature of the exploit which leverages kernel-level communication channels to achieve system-wide disruption. The attack vector requires minimal privileges and can be executed remotely, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and exception handling in kernel space operations, as well as the critical need for regular kernel updates and patch management processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-1000407 primarily focus on applying the appropriate kernel security patches released by the Linux kernel development team. System administrators should prioritize updating to kernel versions that include fixes for this vulnerability, typically found in kernel versions 4.12 and later. Additionally, network-level firewalls and access controls can be implemented to restrict access to the diagnostic port 0x80, though this approach provides only partial protection as the vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual activity on diagnostic ports and establish incident response procedures for kernel-level disruptions. The vulnerability underscores the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and the necessity of comprehensive system hardening practices to prevent exploitation of similar kernel-level weaknesses.