CVE-2019-3900 : What You Need to Know

A problem of infinite loop has been discovered in the vhost_net kernel module in Linux Kernel up to and including v5.1-rc6. This vulnerability could lead to a denial-of-service situation.

Understanding CVE-2019-3900

This CVE involves an infinite loop issue in the vhost_net kernel module in Linux Kernel up to version 5.1-rc6.

What is CVE-2019-3900?

The vulnerability occurs when incoming packets are handled in the handle_rx() function, causing the vhost_net kernel thread to become unresponsive.

The Impact of CVE-2019-3900

CVSS Base Score: 6.3 (Medium)
Attack Vector: Network
Attack Complexity: High
Privileges Required: Low
Availability Impact: High
Exploiting this vulnerability could result in a denial-of-service situation.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-3900

This section provides more in-depth technical details about the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises due to an infinite loop in the vhost_net kernel module when handling incoming packets.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Kernel
Vendor: Red Hat
Affected Version: Up to and including v5.1-rc6

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by a guest user, potentially remote, by transmitting packets at a faster rate than the system can handle.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-3900 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply relevant security patches provided by the vendor.
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch the kernel to address known vulnerabilities.
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Patching and Updates

Red Hat has released security advisories such as RHSA-2019:1973, RHSA-2019:2043, and RHSA-2019:2029 to address this vulnerability.