In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
module: Fix kernel panic when a symbol st_shndx is out of bounds
The module loader doesn't check for bounds of the ELF section index in simplify_symbols():
for (i = 1; i < symsec->sh_size / sizeof(Elf_Sym); i++) { const char *name = info->strtab + sym[i].st_name;
switch (sym[i].st_shndx) { case SHN_COMMON:
[...]
default: /* Divert to percpu allocation if a percpu var. */ if (sym[i].st_shndx == info->index.pcpu) secbase = (unsigned long)mod_percpu(mod); else / HERE --> / secbase = info->sechdrs[sym[i].st_shndx].sh_addr; sym[i].st_value += secbase; break; } }
A symbol with an out-of-bounds st_shndx value, for example 0xffff (known as SHN_XINDEX or SHN_HIRESERVE), may cause a kernel panic:
BUG: unable to handle page fault for address: ... RIP: 0010:simplify_symbols+0x2b2/0x480 ... Kernel panic - not syncing: Fatal exception
This can happen when module ELF is legitimately using SHN_XINDEX or when it is corrupted.
Add a bounds check in simplify_symbols() to validate that st_shndx is within the valid range before using it.
This issue was discovered due to a bug in llvm-objcopy, see relevant discussion for details [1].
[1] https://lore.kernel.org/linux-modules/[email protected]/