VU#277400: Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 fail to protect kernel memory when the Microsoft patch for meltdown is installed
Vulnerability Note VU#277400
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 fail to protect kernel memory when the Microsoft patch for meltdown is installed
Overview
When the Microsoft patch for meltdown is installed on a Windows 7 x64 or Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 system, an unprivileged process may be able to read and write the entire memory space available to the Windows kernel.
Description
The patch that Microsoft has released for meltdown on x64 versions of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 incorrectly sets the permission bit for memory accessible from unprivileged user space. As a result, such platforms that have the meltdown patch installed, which was released in January 2018 will not properly protect the contents of system memory. |
Impact
An attacker with the ability to run code on an affected platform as an unprivileged user may be able to read from and write to the entire contents of system memory. |
Solution
Apply an update This issue is addressed in the Microsoft update for CVE-2018-1038. |
Vendor Information (Learn More)
Vendor | Status | Date Notified | Date Updated |
---|---|---|---|
Microsoft | Affected | – | 29 Mar 2018 |
If you are a vendor and your product is affected, let
us know.
CVSS Metrics (Learn More)
Group | Score | Vector |
---|---|---|
Base | 6.8 | AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C |
Temporal | 5.6 | E:F/RL:OF/RC:C |
Environmental | 5.6 | CDP:ND/TD:H/CR:ND/IR:ND/AR:ND |
References
- https://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/584653
- http://blog.frizk.net/2018/03/total-meltdown.html
- https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/CVE-2018-1038
Credit
This vulnerability was publicly reported by Ulf Frisk.
This document was written by Will Dormann.
Other Information
- CVE IDs: CVE-2018-1038
- Date Public: 27 Mar 2108
- Date First Published: 29 Mar 2018
- Date Last Updated: 29 Mar 2018
- Document Revision: 11
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