SUSE SLES11 Security Update : kvm (SUSE-SU-2018:1308-1) (Spectre)

high Nessus Plugin ID 109886

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Synopsis

The remote SUSE host is missing one or more security updates.

Description

This update for kvm fixes the following issues: This update has the next round of Spectre v2 related patches, which now integrates with corresponding changes in libvirt. A January 2018 release of qemu initially addressed the Spectre v2 vulnerability for KVM guests by exposing the spec-ctrl feature for all x86 vcpu types, which was the quick and dirty approach, but not the proper solution. We remove that initial patch and now rely on patches from upstream. This update defines spec_ctrl and ibpb cpu feature flags as well as new cpu models which are clones of existing models with either -IBRS or -IBPB added to the end of the model name. These new vcpu models explicitly include the new feature(s), whereas the feature flags can be added to the cpu parameter as with other features. In short, for continued Spectre v2 protection, ensure that either the appropriate cpu feature flag is added to the QEMU command-line, or one of the new cpu models is used.
Although migration from older versions is supported, the new cpu features won't be properly exposed to the guest until it is restarted with the cpu features explicitly added. A reboot is insufficient. A warning patch is added which attempts to detect a migration from a qemu version which had the quick and dirty fix (it only detects certain cases, but hopefully is helpful.) For additional information on Spectre v2 as it relates to QEMU, see:
https://www.qemu.org/2018/02/14/qemu-2-11-1-and-spectre-update/ (CVE-2017-5715 bsc#1068032) A patch is added to continue to detect Spectre v2 mitigation features (as shown by cpuid), and if found provide that feature to guests, even if running on older KVM (kernel) versions which do not yet expose that feature to QEMU. (bsc#1082276) Additional security fixes :

- CVE-2018-5683: An out-of-bounds read in vga_draw_text routine was fixed which could lead to crashes or information leakage. (bsc#1076114)

- CVE-2018-7550: multiboot OOB access while loading kernel image was fixed that could lead to crashes (bsc#1083291)

- CVE-2017-18030: An out-of-bounds access in cirrus_invalidate_region routine could lead to crashes or information leakage (bsc#1076179)

- Eliminate bogus use of CPUID_7_0_EDX_PRED_CMD which we've carried since the initial Spectre v2 patch was added. EDX bit 27 of CPUID Leaf 07H, Sub-leaf 0 provides status on STIBP, and not the PRED_CMD MSR. Exposing the STIBP CPUID feature bit to the guest is wrong in general, since the VM doesn't directly control the scheduling of physical hyperthreads. This is left strictly to the L0 hypervisor.

Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the SUSE security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues.

Solution

To install this SUSE Security Update use the SUSE recommended installation methods like YaST online_update or 'zypper patch'.

Alternatively you can run the command listed for your product :

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11-SP3-LTSS:zypper in -t patch slessp3-kvm-13603=1

SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11-SP3:zypper in -t patch sleposp3-kvm-13603=1

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 109886

File Name: suse_SU-2018-1308-1.nasl

Version: 1.10

Type: local

Agent: unix

Family: SuSE Local Security Checks

Published: 5/17/2018

Updated: 10/4/2024

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

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: High

Score: 7.6

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 4.6

Temporal Score: 4

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

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2018-7550

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 8.8

Temporal Score: 8.4

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

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

Vulnerability Information

CPE: cpe:/o:novell:suse_linux:11, p-cpe:/a:novell:suse_linux:kvm

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/cpu, Host/SuSE/release, Host/SuSE/rpm-list

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 5/16/2018

Vulnerability Publication Date: 1/4/2018

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2017-18030, CVE-2017-5715, CVE-2018-5683, CVE-2018-7550

IAVA: 2018-A-0020

Detections

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