USN-4007-2: Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerability
linux-aws-hwe, linux-hwe, linux-oracle vulnerability
A security issue affects these releases of Ubuntu and its derivatives:
- Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
Summary
A system hardening measure could be bypassed.
Software Description
- linux-aws-hwe – Linux kernel for Amazon Web Services (AWS-HWE) systems
- linux-hwe – Linux hardware enablement (HWE) kernel
- linux-oracle – Linux kernel for Oracle Cloud systems
Details
USN-4007-1 fixed vulnerabilities in the Linux kernel for Ubuntu 18.04
LTS. This update provides the corresponding updates for the Linux
Hardware Enablement (HWE) kernel from Ubuntu 18.04 LTS for Ubuntu
16.04 LTS.
Federico Manuel Bento discovered that the Linux kernel did not properly
apply Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) in some situations for
setuid a.out binaries. A local attacker could use this to improve the
chances of exploiting an existing vulnerability in a setuid a.out binary.
As a hardening measure, this update disables a.out support.
Update instructions
The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:
- Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
- linux-image-4.15.0-1014-oracle – 4.15.0-1014.16~16.04.1
- linux-image-4.15.0-1040-aws – 4.15.0-1040.42~16.04.1
- linux-image-4.15.0-51-generic – 4.15.0-51.55~16.04.1
- linux-image-4.15.0-51-generic-lpae – 4.15.0-51.55~16.04.1
- linux-image-4.15.0-51-lowlatency – 4.15.0-51.55~16.04.1
- linux-image-aws-hwe – 4.15.0.1040.40
- linux-image-generic-hwe-16.04 – 4.15.0.51.72
- linux-image-generic-lpae-hwe-16.04 – 4.15.0.51.72
- linux-image-lowlatency-hwe-16.04 – 4.15.0.51.72
- linux-image-oem – 4.15.0.51.72
- linux-image-oracle – 4.15.0.1014.8
- linux-image-virtual-hwe-16.04 – 4.15.0.51.72
To update your system, please follow these instructions: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Security/Upgrades.
After a standard system update you need to reboot your computer to make
all the necessary changes.
ATTENTION: Due to an unavoidable ABI change the kernel updates have
been given a new version number, which requires you to recompile and
reinstall all third party kernel modules you might have installed.
Unless you manually uninstalled the standard kernel metapackages
(e.g. linux-generic, linux-generic-lts-RELEASE, linux-virtual,
linux-powerpc), a standard system upgrade will automatically perform
this as well.
References
Source: USN-4007-2: Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerability
