August 3, 2024 at 03:41PM
SLUBStick, a novel Linux Kernel cross-cache attack, has a 99% success rate in escalating privileges and escaping containers by exploiting a heap vulnerability. It works with modern kernel defenses and will be presented at the upcoming Usenix Security Symposium. The attack provides benefits to attackers, including privilege escalation and container escapes, potentially enabling complex attack chains. For more details and experiment opportunities, the researchers’ GitHub repository is available.
Based on the meeting notes, the key takeaways are as follows:
– A new Linux Kernel cross-cache attack named SLUBStick has been discovered by researchers from the Graz University of Technology, demonstrating a 99% success rate in converting a limited heap vulnerability into arbitrary memory read-and-write capability.
– The attack has been demonstrated on Linux kernel versions 5.9 and 6.2 using nine existing CVEs in both 32-bit and 64-bit systems, indicating high versatility.
– SLUBStick is able to bypass modern kernel defenses like SMEP, SMAP, and KASLR.
– The attack will be presented in detail at the upcoming Usenix Security Symposium conference, showcasing privilege escalation and container escape in the latest Linux with state-of-the-art defenses enabled.
– The published technical paper contains all the details about the attack and the potential exploitation scenarios.
– SLUBStick exploits a heap vulnerability to manipulate the memory allocation process and uses a timing side channel to predict and control memory reuse, achieving a 99% success rate in cross-cache exploitation.
– Real-world impact of SLUBStick includes privilege escalation, bypassing kernel defenses, performing container escapes, and potential use as part of a complex attack chain.
– The attack requires local access on the target machine with code execution capabilities and the presence of a heap vulnerability in the Linux kernel.
It is important to note that while this information can be deeply technical, it’s crucial for organizations to be aware of such threats to ensure proper security measures are in place.