Ubuntu 14.04 LTS / 16.04 LTS : intel-microcode update (USN-3531-3)

medium Nessus Plugin ID 108750

Synopsis

The remote Ubuntu host is missing a security update.

Description

The remote Ubuntu 14.04 LTS / 16.04 LTS host has a package installed that is affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the USN-3531-3 advisory.

Jann Horn discovered that microprocessors utilizing speculative execution and branch prediction may allow unauthorized memory reads via sidechannel attacks. This flaw is known as Spectre. A local attacker could use this to expose sensitive information, including kernel memory. (CVE-2017-5715)

This update provides the corrected microcode updates required for the corresponding Linux kernel updates.

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Ubuntu security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Update the affected intel-microcode package.

See Also

https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-3531-3

Plugin Details

Severity: Medium

ID: 108750

File Name: ubuntu_USN-3531-3.nasl

Version: 1.12

Type: local

Agent: unix

Published: 3/30/2018

Updated: 8/27/2024

Supported Sensors: Frictionless Assessment AWS, Frictionless Assessment Azure, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Nessus Agent, Agentless Assessment, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: High

Score: 7.6

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Low

Base Score: 1.9

Temporal Score: 1.7

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2017-5715

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 5.6

Temporal Score: 5.4

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:H/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:-:lts, p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:intel-microcode

Required KB Items: Host/cpu, Host/Debian/dpkg-l, Host/Ubuntu, Host/Ubuntu/release

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 3/29/2018

Vulnerability Publication Date: 1/4/2018

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2017-5715

IAVA: 2018-A-0020

USN: 3531-3