CVE-2020-29369 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

An issue was discovered in mm/mmap.c in the Linux kernel before 5.7.11. There is a race condition between certain expand functions (expand_downwards and expand_upwards) and page-table free operations from a munmap call, aka CID-246c320a8cfe.

Understanding CVE-2020-29369

This CVE involves a race condition in the Linux kernel that can lead to certain expand functions conflicting with page-table free operations.

What is CVE-2020-29369?

CVE-2020-29369 is a vulnerability found in the Linux kernel before version 5.7.11, causing a race condition between specific expand functions and page-table free operations.

The Impact of CVE-2020-29369

This vulnerability could potentially be exploited by attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (DoS) on affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-29369

This section provides more in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The issue arises in mm/mmap.c in the Linux kernel due to a race condition between expand functions and page-table free operations from a munmap call.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected System: Linux kernel before version 5.7.11
Affected Versions: Not applicable

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by triggering the race condition between expand functions and page-table free operations, potentially leading to unauthorized code execution or DoS attacks.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-29369 requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply relevant patches and updates provided by the Linux kernel maintainers.
Monitor security advisories for any new information or patches related to this vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update the Linux kernel to the latest stable version to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Implement strong access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect and prevent unauthorized system access.
Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address potential security weaknesses.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of patches released by the Linux kernel community to address the CVE-2020-29369 vulnerability.