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Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2015 20:17:06 -0700
From: Greg KH <greg@...ah.com>
To: oss-security@...ts.openwall.com
Subject: Re: Vulnerability in WhiteHEAT Linux
 Driver-CVE-2015-5257

On Tue, Sep 22, 2015 at 05:49:53PM -0700, Moein Ghasemzadeh wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> We have discovered a vulnerability in a linux kernel module and would
> like to inform you so that required actions could be taken.
> 
> Assigned CVE ID : CVE-2015-5257.
> 
> Below is the description of the vulnerability.
> 
> 1. Software name and vendor name:
> USB WhiteHEAT serial driver by ConnecTech in the Linux kernel
> v3.19.0-28, but likely to exist in all kernel versions.
> 
> 2. Type of vulnerability or attack outcome:
> 
> The vulnerability triggers a kernel NULL pointer dereference. It causes
> the OS to freeze on many machines and requires a cold reboot, causing
> denial of service.
> 
> 3. A description of the affected code (e.g. the function name, the
> vulnerable web page, link to the affected code, a bug entry, etc.):
> 
> The flaw exists in the "whiteheat_attach" function in
> drivers/usb/serial/whiteheat.c in the Whiteheat USB Serial Driver in the
> Linux kernel.
> (http://lxr.free-electrons.com/source/drivers/usb/serial/whiteheat.c?v=3.19)
> 
> 
> In the driver, the “COMMAND_PORT” variable is hard coded and is set to
> “4” (5th element). So, the driver assumes that the number of ports
> always will be 5 and takes the port number 5 as the command port. But,
> using a specially made USB device in which the number of ports was set
> to a number less than 5 (e.g. 3) we were able to perform Denial of
> Service on the system due to a kernel NULL pointer dereference. The
> system froze and requires a reboot.
> 
> You may find more information regarding the bug from the logs attached
> to this email. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

FWIW, the USB serial subsystem maintainer was just told about this an
hour or so ago, and is working on a patch for this, which should be
merged into Linus's tree by the end of the week or so.

thanks,

greg k-h

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