stackrot

StackRot (CVE-2023-3269) is a significant Linux kernel privilege escalation vulnerability discovered by security researcher Ruihan Li in July 2023. The flaw, found in the memory management subsystem, affects almost all kernel configurations and impacts Linux versions 6.1 through 6.4. StackRot pertains to the Linux kernel's handling of stack expansion, a mechanism for automatically growing or expanding the stack memory of a running process. The vulnerability has been present in the Linux kernel since version 6.1 when the VMA tree structure was changed from red-black trees to maple trees. The exploit for StackRot is likely the first to successfully exploit a UAFBR bug, marking it as a unique and severe threat. This vulnerability allows attackers to escalate privileges on affected systems, creating potential for significant security breaches. Its CVSS score of 7.8 further emphasizes the critical nature of this flaw. Despite its severity, triggering the vulnerability requires minimal capabilities, making it even more concerning. Ruihan Li reported the vulnerability to Linux kernel developers on June 15, 2023, and some information regarding StackRot was made public shortly thereafter. A comprehensive write-up and complete exploit code are expected to be released publicly no later than the end of July 2023. The community anticipates these details to better understand the vulnerability and develop effective mitigation strategies.