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Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2016 21:50:24 +0200
From: Willy Tarreau <w@....eu>
To: Adam Maris <amaris@...hat.com>
Cc: oss-security@...ts.openwall.com, Marcus Meissner <meissner@...e.de>,
        Greg KH <greg@...ah.com>, cve-assign@...re.org, security@...nel.org
Subject: Re: Re: CVE Request: Linux kernel crash of OHCI when
 plugging in malicious USB devices

On Thu, Aug 18, 2016 at 08:16:27PM +0200, Adam Maris wrote:
> Attacker doesn't necessarily need to have physical access to USB port. He
> can somehow
> hand USB off to the victim that will with good intentions stick it to his
> USB port, unexpectedly
> causing kernel panic. Difference is that one probably wouldn't pour glue or
> corrosive liquid
> into his USB port believing that nothing bad will happen.

Well, it happened to me when I was a kid, with a PS/2 port. I handed off
a device to someone of trust to connect to the PS/2 port and parallel port.
(PS/2 to pick the +5V). I wired it wrong and the motherboard died, as
amazing as it seems and the person didn't find it fun as it was not his PC.

So yes it can be done even without suspecting. It's easy to do whatever you
want using a USB stick. You can use the 3W it provides to charge a 300V
capacitor and discharge it on the D+/D- to test the clamping diodes
robustness, etc...

Thus I don't think either that something "only causing a panic" deserves
a CVE. It needs to be fixed however, for sure!

Regards,
Willy

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