CVE-2017-1087 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

In versions of FreeBSD 10.x prior to 10.4-STABLE, 10.4-RELEASE-p3, and 10.3-RELEASE-p24, a vulnerability exists where named paths are globally scoped, allowing a process in one jail to access and modify POSIX shared memory objects from another jail or the host system. This could lead to a Denial of Service attack or local privilege escalation.

Understanding CVE-2017-1087

This CVE involves a privilege escalation vulnerability in FreeBSD 10.x versions.

What is CVE-2017-1087?

In FreeBSD 10.x, named paths have a global scope, enabling a process in one jail to manipulate shared memory objects from another jail or the host system. Malicious users gaining access to a jailed system can inject harmful content into shared memory, potentially leading to a Denial of Service attack or local privilege escalation.

The Impact of CVE-2017-1087

The vulnerability allows unauthorized access to shared memory, posing risks of data corruption, unauthorized data access, and potential privilege escalation within FreeBSD 10.x systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-1087

This section provides detailed technical information about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in FreeBSD 10.x versions allows processes in different jails to manipulate shared memory objects, leading to potential security breaches and unauthorized access.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: FreeBSD
Vendor: FreeBSD
Versions Affected: FreeBSD 10.x versions prior to 10.4-STABLE, 10.4-RELEASE-p3, and 10.3-RELEASE-p24

Exploitation Mechanism

Malicious users gaining access to a jailed system can inject harmful content into shared memory regions.
Applications like Squid relying on shared memory integrity may unintentionally execute compromised memory regions.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-1087 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update FreeBSD to versions 10.4-STABLE, 10.4-RELEASE-p3, or 10.3-RELEASE-p24 to mitigate the vulnerability.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities indicating unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict access controls and segregation between jails to limit shared memory access.
Regularly audit and review shared memory usage to detect any anomalies or unauthorized modifications.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by FreeBSD to address the named paths global scope vulnerability in FreeBSD 10.x.