CVE-2017-5580 in virglrenderer
Summary
by MITRE
The parse_instruction function in gallium/auxiliary/tgsi/tgsi_text.c in virglrenderer before 0.6.0 allows local guest OS users to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds array access and process crash) via a crafted texture instruction.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5580 resides within the virglrenderer graphics library, specifically in the parse_instruction function located in gallium/auxiliary/tgsi/tgsi_text.c. This flaw affects versions prior to 0.6.0 and represents a critical security issue that can be exploited by local guest OS users to execute a denial of service attack. The vulnerability manifests when the system processes crafted texture instructions, which are part of the TGSI (Texture Graphics Shader Instruction) format used in graphics processing. The root cause of this vulnerability can be classified under CWE-129, which deals with insufficient validation of array indices, and more specifically aligns with CWE-787, representing out-of-bounds write operations that occur when array indices are not properly validated before access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the parse_instruction function failing to properly validate the bounds of array accesses when processing texture instructions. When a malicious user crafts a specific texture instruction, the function attempts to access memory locations beyond the allocated array boundaries, leading to unpredictable behavior including memory corruption and subsequent process crashes. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which involves network denial of service attacks through the exploitation of software vulnerabilities, though in this case the attack vector is local rather than network-based. The flaw essentially creates a scenario where legitimate graphics processing operations can be manipulated to trigger buffer overflows, making it particularly dangerous in virtualized environments where guest operating systems may have elevated privileges to interact with graphics drivers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can potentially be leveraged to disrupt graphics rendering capabilities in virtualized environments where virglrenderer is employed. In virtual machine settings, this vulnerability allows local users within the guest OS to crash the graphics processing components, which could lead to complete system instability or rendering failures in applications that depend on GPU acceleration. The vulnerability affects systems using the virglrenderer library for graphics virtualization, particularly those implementing the mesa graphics stack, making it relevant to various virtualization platforms and graphics-intensive applications. The security implications are significant in multi-tenant environments where guest VMs may be compromised, as the local privilege escalation potential could allow attackers to disrupt services or potentially gain further access to the underlying host system through cascading effects.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-5580 primarily involve upgrading to virglrenderer version 0.6.0 or later, where the vulnerability has been patched through proper array boundary validation in the parse_instruction function. System administrators should prioritize patching affected systems and ensure that all virtualization environments using virglrenderer are updated to prevent exploitation. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and bounds checking in graphics processing pipelines can help prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in other components. The fix typically involves adding comprehensive validation of array indices before access, ensuring that all texture instruction parameters are properly bounded and sanitized before being processed by the graphics parsing functions. Organizations should also consider monitoring for unusual graphics processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and maintain updated vulnerability management procedures to address similar issues in other graphics libraries and drivers.