CVE-2010-2960
Description
From CVE.org
The keyctl_session_to_parent function in security/keys/keyctl.c in the Linux kernel 2.6.35.4 and earlier expects that a certain parent session keyring exists, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and system crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a KEYCTL_SESSION_TO_PARENT argument to the keyctl function.
Statement
This issue did not affect the version of Linux kernel as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3, 4, 5, and Red Hat Enterprise MRG as it did not include upstream commit ee18d64c that introduced the problem.
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
NULL pointer dereferences usually result in the failure of the process unless exception handling (on some platforms) is available and implemented. Even when exception handling is being used, it can still be very difficult to return the software to a safe state of operation.
Integrity,Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Read Memory; Modify Memory
In rare circumstances, when NULL is equivalent to the 0x0 memory address and privileged code can access it, then writing or reading memory is possible, which may lead to code execution.
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