Vulnerability in USB Audio Driver for Linux Operating System Has Been Fixed
A vulnerability that allowed system control to be taken over via a malicious USB device has been fixed.
A serious security issue was identified in the USB Audio driver of the Linux operating system. This vulnerability was discovered by SUSE expert Takashi Iwai, who also developed a special fix for it.
What Was the Issue?
When a specially crafted malicious USB audio device was connected to the system, the Linux kernel driver (USB Audio driver) accepted the data from the device without proper validation.
If the data (referred to as descriptors) was deliberately malformed or sent in a very short format, the driver could access unallocated areas of system memory.
As a result, hackers could:
- Read confidential information within the system
- Crash the system
- Or execute malicious code through other methods
When Was the Patch Released?
On December 14, 2024, Greg Kroah-Hartman, a representative from the Linux Foundation, released an official patch for this issue.
Patch Code: ab011f7439d9bbfd34fd3b9cef4b2d6d952c9bb9
How Does the Update Work?
After installing this patch, all incoming data from USB devices is properly checked. Specifically, if the data length (bLength) is incorrect, the driver will reject the data.
Who Was Affected by This Vulnerability?
In order to exploit this vulnerability, the attacker would need to physically connect a malicious USB device to the system.
Therefore, the vulnerability was particularly dangerous for the following users:
- Server and office computer owners
- Professionals working with special audio devices
- Regular Linux users
Recommendations from Experts:
- → Update to the latest version of the Linux kernel
- → Avoid connecting untrusted and unknown USB devices to the computer
- → Monitor USB port activity
The updated kernel and patch code have been added to all stable versions of Linux.
Since Linux is an open-source system, such vulnerabilities are quickly discovered and fixed. This once again emphasizes the importance of adhering to security protocols and regularly updating systems.
