Anatomy of a kernel attack
Overflow
A vulnerability in an operating system kernel is a security nightmare. This article analyzes some well known kernel security problems, explains how they are exploited, and gives real-life examples of attacks that used these time-honored techniques.
Some security issues remind me of Groundhog Day – they just keep coming back. One example of a problem that won't go away is buffer overflow, which was first described in 1972 [1], got a fair bit of attention in 1996 in the oft-quoted Phrack e-zine article "Smashing the Stack for Fun and Profit" [2], and is still one of the most prevalent programming mistakes that can lead to a code injection. And it isn't due to the lack of media coverage that integer overflows are still around – long after they caused the Ariane 5 rocket explosion [3] and the massive Stagefright security issue in Android. The fact is that many of the same few problems continue to turn up, and most could have been prevented by code analysis [4] and defensive programming.
This article takes a close look at some of the techniques attackers use to crack the Linux kernel.
Stein and Shot
You can perform a simple test at home for a graphic example of a buffer overflow: Grab a shot glass and a comfortably sized Munich beer stein, fill the stein to the top, then pour all of its contents into the shot glass. Take note of the overflow. To prevent this situation, the bartender must compare the source's size to the size of the destination buffer.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Kernel 6.14 Released
The latest Linux kernel has arrived with extra Rust support and more.
-
EndeavorOS Mercury Neo Available
A new release from the EndeavorOS team ships with Plasma 6.3 and other goodies.
-
Fedora 42 Beta Has Arrived
The Fedora Project has announced the availability of the first beta release for version 42 of the open-source distribution.
-
Dash to Panel Maintainer Quits
Charles Gagnon has stepped away as maintainer of the popular Dash to Panel Gnome extension.
-
CIQ Releases Security-Hardened Version of Rocky Linux
If you're looking for an enterprise-grade Linux distribution that is hardened for business use, there's a new version of Rocky Linux that's sure to make you and your company happy.
-
Gnome’s Dash to Panel Extension Gets a Massive Update
If you're a fan of the Gnome Dash to Panel extension, you'll be thrilled to hear that a new version has been released with a dock mode.
-
Blender App Makes it to the Big Screen
The animated film "Flow" won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature at the 97th Academy Awards held on March 2, 2025 and Blender was a part of it.
-
Linux Mint Retools the Cinnamon App Launcher
The developers of Linux Mint are working on an improved Cinnamon App Launcher with a better, more accessible UI.
-
New Linux Tool for Security Issues
Seal Security is launching a new solution to automate fixing Linux vulnerabilities.
-
Ubuntu 25.04 Coming Soon
Ubuntu 25.04 (Plucky Puffin) has been given an April release date with many notable updates.