Vulnerabilities > CVE-2021-47590 - Improper Locking vulnerability in Linux Kernel
Summary
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: mptcp: fix deadlock in __mptcp_push_pending() __mptcp_push_pending() may call mptcp_flush_join_list() with subflow socket lock held. If such call hits mptcp_sockopt_sync_all() then subsequently __mptcp_sockopt_sync() could try to lock the subflow socket for itself, causing a deadlock. sysrq: Show Blocked State task:ss-server state:D stack: 0 pid: 938 ppid: 1 flags:0x00000000 Call Trace: <TASK> __schedule+0x2d6/0x10c0 ? __mod_memcg_state+0x4d/0x70 ? csum_partial+0xd/0x20 ? _raw_spin_lock_irqsave+0x26/0x50 schedule+0x4e/0xc0 __lock_sock+0x69/0x90 ? do_wait_intr_irq+0xa0/0xa0 __lock_sock_fast+0x35/0x50 mptcp_sockopt_sync_all+0x38/0xc0 __mptcp_push_pending+0x105/0x200 mptcp_sendmsg+0x466/0x490 sock_sendmsg+0x57/0x60 __sys_sendto+0xf0/0x160 ? do_wait_intr_irq+0xa0/0xa0 ? fpregs_restore_userregs+0x12/0xd0 __x64_sys_sendto+0x20/0x30 do_syscall_64+0x38/0x90 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x44/0xae RIP: 0033:0x7f9ba546c2d0 RSP: 002b:00007ffdc3b762d8 EFLAGS: 00000246 ORIG_RAX: 000000000000002c RAX: ffffffffffffffda RBX: 00007f9ba56c8060 RCX: 00007f9ba546c2d0 RDX: 000000000000077a RSI: 0000000000e5e180 RDI: 0000000000000234 RBP: 0000000000cc57f0 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: 0000000000000000 R10: 0000000000000000 R11: 0000000000000246 R12: 00007f9ba56c8060 R13: 0000000000b6ba60 R14: 0000000000cc7840 R15: 41d8685b1d7901b8 </TASK> Fix the issue by using __mptcp_flush_join_list() instead of plain mptcp_flush_join_list() inside __mptcp_push_pending(), as suggested by Florian. The sockopt sync will be deferred to the workqueue.
Vulnerable Configurations
Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
- Leveraging Race Conditions This attack targets a race condition occurring when multiple processes access and manipulate the same resource concurrently and the outcome of the execution depends on the particular order in which the access takes place. The attacker can leverage a race condition by "running the race", modifying the resource and modifying the normal execution flow. For instance a race condition can occur while accessing a file, the attacker can trick the system by replacing the original file with his version and cause the system to read the malicious file.
- Leveraging Race Conditions via Symbolic Links This attack leverages the use of symbolic links (Symlinks) in order to write to sensitive files. An attacker can create a Symlink link to a target file not otherwise accessible to her. When the privileged program tries to create a temporary file with the same name as the Symlink link, it will actually write to the target file pointed to by the attackers' Symlink link. If the attacker can insert malicious content in the temporary file she will be writing to the sensitive file by using the Symlink. The race occurs because the system checks if the temporary file exists, then creates the file. The attacker would typically create the Symlink during the interval between the check and the creation of the temporary file.