CVE-2023-1872 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE record pertains to a use-after-free vulnerability found in the Linux Kernel's io_uring subsystem, allowing attackers to achieve local privilege escalation. The vulnerability was disclosed on March 3, 2023, and affects the Linux Kernel versions less than or equal to 5.17, specifically version 5.7.

Understanding CVE-2023-1872

This section delves deeper into the details of CVE-2023-1872, explaining the vulnerability's impact, technical aspects, affected systems, and mitigation strategies.

What is CVE-2023-1872?

The CVE-2023-1872 vulnerability involves a use-after-free issue in the Linux Kernel io_uring system, which can be exploited by attackers to escalate their privileges on the local system.

The Impact of CVE-2023-1872

The impact of this vulnerability is classified as a privilege escalation threat, specifically categorized under CAPEC-233 (Privilege Escalation), posing a significant risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-1872

In this section, we will explore the technical aspects of CVE-2023-1872, including the vulnerability description, affected systems, and how the exploitation occurs.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from the lack of presence of ctx->uring_lock in the io_file_get_fixed function, leading to a Use-After-Free vulnerability due to a race condition with fixed files getting unregistered. Upgrading past commit da24142b1ef9fd5d36b76e36bab328a5b27523e8 is recommended to mitigate this issue.

Affected Systems and Versions

Linux Kernel versions less than or equal to 5.17, particularly version 5.7, are impacted by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to escalate their privileges locally, taking advantage of the use-after-free issue in the Linux Kernel's io_uring subsystem.

Mitigation and Prevention

This final section outlines the steps that can be taken to mitigate the risks associated with CVE-2023-1872 and prevent potential exploitation.

Immediate Steps to Take

Implementing immediate patching by upgrading past commit da24142b1ef9fd5d36b76e36bab328a5b27523e8 is crucial to address the use-after-free vulnerability and prevent local privilege escalation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Adopting proactive security measures, such as regular system updates, security monitoring, and adherence to secure coding practices, can help fortify the overall security posture of the system in the long term.

Patching and Updates

Regularly monitoring security advisories and promptly applying patches released by the Linux Kernel maintainers is essential to stay protected against known vulnerabilities like CVE-2023-1872.