Linux Kernel vcpu_scan_ioapic Function Denial of Service Vulnerability [CVE-2018-19407]

• CVE Number – CVE-2018-19407
• A vulnerability in the vcpu_scan_ioapic function of the Linux Kernel could allow a local attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on a targeted system.The vulnerability exists in the vcpu_scan_ioapic function, as defined in the arch/x86/kvm/x86.c source code file of the affected software, and is due to the failure of the I/O Advanced Programmable Interrupt Controller (I/O APIC) to initialize. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by accessing the system and executing an application that submits malicious system calls to the affected software. A successful exploit could trigger a NULL pointer dereference, which could result in a DoS condition.Proof-of-concept (PoC) code that demonstrates an exploit of this vulnerability is publicly available.Kernel.org has not confirmed the vulnerability, and software updates are not available.

Analysis

• To exploit this vulnerability, the attacker must have user-level access to the targeted system. This access requirement could reduce the likelihood of a successful exploit.
  
  At the time this alert was first published, a patch was available in the unofficial Linux Kernel Mailing List archive; however, the patch had not been pushed upstream to Kernel.org.

Safeguards

• Administrators are advised to contact the vendor regarding future updates and releases.
  
  Administrators are advised to allow only trusted users to access local systems.
  
  Administrators are advised to allow only privileged users to access administration or management systems.
  
  Administrators are advised to monitor critical systems.

Vendor Announcements

• At the time this alert was first published, Kernel.org had not released a security announcement.

Fixed Software

• At the time this alert was first published, Kernel.org had not released software updates.