CVE-2017-10920 : What You Need to Know

Xen versions up to 4.8.x mishandle the grant-table feature, leading to a denial of service and unauthorized access to the host OS.

Understanding CVE-2017-10920

Xen vulnerability impacting versions up to 4.8.x.

What is CVE-2017-10920?

The issue arises when a GNTMAP_device_map and GNTMAP_host_map mapping is followed by only a GNTMAP_host_map unmapping, allowing users to manipulate count management, corrupt memory, and gain unauthorized access to the host OS.

The Impact of CVE-2017-10920

Users of the guest OS can cause a denial of service by manipulating count management and corrupting memory.
Unauthorized access to the privileged host OS is possible.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-10920

Xen vulnerability details.

Vulnerability Description

The mishandling of grant-table feature in Xen versions up to 4.8.x allows for a denial of service and unauthorized access to the host OS.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Not applicable
Vendor: Not applicable
Versions affected: Up to 4.8.x

Exploitation Mechanism

Users exploit the mishandling of grant-table mappings to manipulate count management and corrupt memory.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-10920.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches provided by Xen to address the vulnerability.
Monitor Xen security advisories for updates and apply them promptly.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Xen to the latest version to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Implement strong access controls and monitoring mechanisms to prevent unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by Xen.