New Local Linux Kernel Root Exploit Published

win32sux · 12-08-2010, 01:35 PM

Quote:

An interesting exploit for the Linux kernel that enables an attacker to escalate his privileges on a local machine has popped up on the Full Disclosure mailing list. The exploit chains together three separate bugs to get root on a vulnerable machine.

The exploit was posted Tuesday by Dan Rosenberg on Full Disclosure and he explains in his post that the exploit is specifically designed to be somewhat limited so that it's not easily usable by low-level attackers.

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silvyus_06 · 12-16-2010, 06:21 PM

oh. nice. but out of 3 of those bugs 2 have been patched as far as i understand ...
so how is he gonna be able to get root access without 2 of the 3 bugs this exploit or wahtever it is is based on > ?
yup.he isn't gonna do anything . that's why i like linux .

Jack Sparrow · 12-23-2010, 01:58 AM

Again, it was patched by either debian and ubuntu and spread to the other. When there are a zillion eyes looking a the code all who have a vested stake in its security, there is security.

hence how open source takes bugs, security and elevates them to an unprecedented reaction time to fixing problems and creating solutions. There is also a culture of openness where software writers can acknowledge bugs, warn users, and mitigate damage.

If this was a closed source operating system, it'd be at least 6 months from leak to fix, and thats not counting denails, coverups, and shuffling under the rug.