CVE-2023-1998
Linux Kernel Spectre-BTI STIBP Disable Due to IBRS consecutive Fault
Description
The Linux kernel allows userspace processes to enable mitigations by calling prctl with PR_SET_SPECULATION_CTRL which disables the speculation feature as well as by using seccomp. We had noticed that on VMs of at least one major cloud provider, the kernel still left the victim process exposed to attacks in some cases even after enabling the spectre-BTI mitigation with prctl. The same behavior can be observed on a bare-metal machine when forcing the mitigation to IBRS on boot command line. This happened because when plain IBRS was enabled (not enhanced IBRS), the kernel had some logic that determined that STIBP was not needed. The IBRS bit implicitly protects against cross-thread branch target injection. However, with legacy IBRS, the IBRS bit was cleared on returning to userspace, due to performance reasons, which disabled the implicit STIBP and left userspace threads vulnerable to cross-thread branch target injection against which STIBP protects.
INFO
Published Date :
April 21, 2023, 3:15 p.m.
Last Modified :
Feb. 13, 2025, 5:16 p.m.
Source :
[email protected]
Remotely Exploitable :
No
Impact Score :
4.0
Exploitability Score :
1.1
References to Advisories, Solutions, and Tools
Here, you will find a curated list of external links that provide in-depth
information, practical solutions, and valuable tools related to
CVE-2023-1998.
| URL | Resource |
|---|---|
| https://github.com/google/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-mj4w-6495-6crx | Exploit Third Party Advisory |
| https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d | Patch |
| https://kernel.dance/#6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d | Not Applicable |
| https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00005.html | Mailing List Third Party Advisory |
| https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00006.html | Mailing List Third Party Advisory |
| https://github.com/google/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-mj4w-6495-6crx | Exploit Third Party Advisory |
| https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d | Patch |
| https://kernel.dance/#6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d | Not Applicable |
| https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00005.html | Mailing List Third Party Advisory |
| https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00006.html | Mailing List Third Party Advisory |
We scan GitHub repositories to detect new proof-of-concept exploits. Following list is a collection of public exploits and proof-of-concepts, which have been published on GitHub (sorted by the most recently updated).
Results are limited to the first 15 repositories due to potential performance issues.
The following list is the news that have been mention
CVE-2023-1998 vulnerability anywhere in the article.
The following table lists the changes that have been made to the
CVE-2023-1998 vulnerability over time.
Vulnerability history details can be useful for understanding the evolution of a vulnerability, and for identifying the most recent changes that may impact the vulnerability's severity, exploitability, or other characteristics.
-
CVE Modified by [email protected]
Feb. 13, 2025
Action Type Old Value New Value Changed Description The Linux kernel allows userspace processes to enable mitigations by calling prctl with PR_SET_SPECULATION_CTRL which disables the speculation feature as well as by using seccomp. We had noticed that on VMs of at least one major cloud provider, the kernel still left the victim process exposed to attacks in some cases even after enabling the spectre-BTI mitigation with prctl. The same behavior can be observed on a bare-metal machine when forcing the mitigation to IBRS on boot command line. This happened because when plain IBRS was enabled (not enhanced IBRS), the kernel had some logic that determined that STIBP was not needed. The IBRS bit implicitly protects against cross-thread branch target injection. However, with legacy IBRS, the IBRS bit was cleared on returning to userspace, due to performance reasons, which disabled the implicit STIBP and left userspace threads vulnerable to cross-thread branch target injection against which STIBP protects. The Linux kernel allows userspace processes to enable mitigations by calling prctl with PR_SET_SPECULATION_CTRL which disables the speculation feature as well as by using seccomp. We had noticed that on VMs of at least one major cloud provider, the kernel still left the victim process exposed to attacks in some cases even after enabling the spectre-BTI mitigation with prctl. The same behavior can be observed on a bare-metal machine when forcing the mitigation to IBRS on boot command line. This happened because when plain IBRS was enabled (not enhanced IBRS), the kernel had some logic that determined that STIBP was not needed. The IBRS bit implicitly protects against cross-thread branch target injection. However, with legacy IBRS, the IBRS bit was cleared on returning to userspace, due to performance reasons, which disabled the implicit STIBP and left userspace threads vulnerable to cross-thread branch target injection against which STIBP protects. -
CVE Modified by af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
Nov. 21, 2024
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Reference https://github.com/google/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-mj4w-6495-6crx Added Reference https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d Added Reference https://kernel.dance/#6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d Added Reference https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00005.html Added Reference https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00006.html -
CVE Modified by [email protected]
May. 14, 2024
Action Type Old Value New Value -
Initial Analysis by [email protected]
May. 03, 2023
Action Type Old Value New Value Added CVSS V3.1 NIST AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N Changed Reference Type https://github.com/google/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-mj4w-6495-6crx No Types Assigned https://github.com/google/security-research/security/advisories/GHSA-mj4w-6495-6crx Exploit, Third Party Advisory Changed Reference Type https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d No Types Assigned https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d Patch Changed Reference Type https://kernel.dance/#6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d No Types Assigned https://kernel.dance/#6921ed9049bc7457f66c1596c5b78aec0dae4a9d Not Applicable Changed Reference Type https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00005.html No Types Assigned https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00005.html Mailing List, Third Party Advisory Changed Reference Type https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00006.html No Types Assigned https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00006.html Mailing List, Third Party Advisory Added CWE NIST CWE-203 Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* versions up to (excluding) 6.3 Added CPE Configuration OR *cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* -
CVE Modified by [email protected]
May. 03, 2023
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Reference https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00006.html [No Types Assigned] -
CVE Modified by [email protected]
May. 03, 2023
Action Type Old Value New Value Added Reference https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2023/05/msg00005.html [No Types Assigned]
CWE - Common Weakness Enumeration
While CVE identifies
specific instances of vulnerabilities, CWE categorizes the common flaws or
weaknesses that can lead to vulnerabilities. CVE-2023-1998 is
associated with the following CWEs:
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)
Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification
(CAPEC)
stores attack patterns, which are descriptions of the common attributes and
approaches employed by adversaries to exploit the CVE-2023-1998
weaknesses.
Exploit Prediction
EPSS is a daily estimate of the probability of exploitation activity being observed over the next 30 days.
0.10 }} 0.04%
score
0.41225
percentile