USN-5266-1: Linux kernel (GKE) vulnerabilities

3 February 2022

Several security issues were fixed in the Linux kernel.

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Releases

Packages

  • linux-gke - Linux kernel for Google Container Engine (GKE) systems
  • linux-gke-5.4 - Linux kernel for Google Container Engine (GKE) systems

Details

It was discovered that the Packet network protocol implementation in the
Linux kernel contained a double-free vulnerability. A local attacker could
use this to cause a denial of service (system crash) or possibly execute
arbitrary code. (CVE-2021-22600)

Luo Likang discovered that the FireDTV Firewire driver in the Linux kernel
did not properly perform bounds checking in some situations. A local
attacker could use this to cause a denial of service (system crash) or
possibly execute arbitrary code. (CVE-2021-42739)

Reduce your security exposure

Ubuntu Pro provides ten-year security coverage to 25,000+ packages in Main and Universe repositories, and it is free for up to five machines.

Learn more about Ubuntu Pro

Update instructions

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu 20.04
Ubuntu 18.04

After a standard system update you need to reboot your computer to make
all the necessary changes.

ATTENTION: Due to an unavoidable ABI change the kernel updates have
been given a new version number, which requires you to recompile and
reinstall all third party kernel modules you might have installed.
Unless you manually uninstalled the standard kernel metapackages
(e.g. linux-generic, linux-generic-lts-RELEASE, linux-virtual,
linux-powerpc), a standard system upgrade will automatically perform
this as well.