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Critical Linux Kernel Bug Threatens Servers

Posted: March 1, 2017 to Cybersecurity.

Tags: Data Breach, Malware, AI

After a smaller one was discovered in January, security researcher Andrey Konovalov recently uncovered an even larger privilege-escalation Linux Kernel bug that dates back to over a decade ago in the Datagram Congestion Control Protocol (DCCP) by applying Syzkaller which is a Google kernel fuzzing tool. This use-after-free bug (CVE-2017-6074) impacts such major Linux OS distro as Debian, OpenSUSE, Redhat and Ubuntu which could give an unprivileged user the ability to alter the kernel’s memory and “overwrite its content with arbitrary data by using some of the kernel heap spraying techniques. If the overwritten object has any triggerable function pointers, an attacker gets to execute arbitrary code within the kernel," according to information provided by the full disclosure mailing list. Fortunately, the vulnerability is not a remote code execution flaw and thus can only be exploited locally. It has already been patched in the mainline kernel so advanced Linux users can either patch and rebuild their own kernel, or wait for the next update and apply it ASAP.

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Craig Petronella, CEO and Founder of Petronella Technology Group
CEO, Founder & AI Architect, Petronella Technology Group

Craig Petronella founded Petronella Technology Group in 2002 and has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of cybersecurity, AI, compliance, and digital forensics. He holds the CMMC Registered Practitioner credential (RP-1372) issued by the Cyber AB, is an NC Licensed Digital Forensics Examiner (License #604180-DFE), and completed MIT Professional Education programs in AI, Blockchain, and Cybersecurity. Craig also holds CompTIA Security+, CCNA, and Hyperledger certifications.

He is an Amazon #1 Best-Selling Author of 15+ books on cybersecurity and compliance, host of the Encrypted Ambition podcast (95+ episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon), and a cybersecurity keynote speaker with 200+ engagements at conferences, law firms, and corporate boardrooms. Craig serves as Contributing Editor for Cybersecurity at NC Triangle Attorney at Law Magazine and is a guest lecturer at NCCU School of Law. He has served as a digital forensics expert witness in federal and state court cases involving cybercrime, cryptocurrency fraud, SIM-swap attacks, and data breaches.

Under his leadership, Petronella Technology Group has served 2,500+ clients, maintained a zero-breach record among compliant clients, earned a BBB A+ rating every year since 2003, and been featured as a cybersecurity authority on CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX, and WRAL. The company leverages SOC 2 Type II certified platforms and specializes in AI implementation, managed cybersecurity, CMMC/HIPAA/SOC 2 compliance, and digital forensics for businesses across the United States.

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