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Root Exploit For NVIDIA Closed-Source Linux Driver
possible writes, "KernelTrap is reporting that the security research firm Rapid7 has published a working root exploit for a buffer overflow in NVIDIA's binary blob graphics driver for Linux. The NVIDIA drivers for FreeBSD and Solaris are also likely vulnerable. This will no doubt fuel the debate about whether binary blob drivers should be allowed in Linux." Rapid7's suggested action to mitigate this vulnerability: "Disable the binary blob driver and use the open-source 'nv' driver that is included by default with X."
Rapid7's suggested action to mitigate this vulnerability: "Disable the binary blob driver and use the open-source 'nv' driver that is included by default with X."
This is as useless as suggesting "Install Linux" when a Windows vulnerability has been found!
This will no doubt fuel the debate about whether binary blob drivers should be allowed in Linux.
Of course they should be allowed. How can that even be prevented? The more important question is what can be done to either provide more secure replacements or make sure binaries can be functional without having to be trusted by the OS.
Thank you for your stand against blobs.
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nVidia and ATI are missing out on a pool of talented free labour in their Un*x markets. Seriously they have to pay people to write Windows drivers when they could have Linux people do it for free and fold the best parts back into their Windows drivers. Idiots. ;)
Shh.
Ok, security is never "minor," but it kinda washes out in the context of all of the stability and compatibility problems they've had as compared to FOSS drivers for cards whose manufacturers do publish specs. nVidia simply don't do a good job at writing their drivers. They violate all sorts of rules about how you're supposed to write Linux drivers. But being closed source, no one is ever allowed to fix the problems, and nVidia doesn't put enough people on it to keep up.
What we need is a graphics vendor who publishes full specs for their graphics chips! If nVidia won't do it, find someone who will.
How many people use the nVidia cards in their servers? None, I guess. nVidia, and most 3D-cards is used on personal systems, with one user, which is usually root. If that user can use a root exploit to become root - so what! Remember that you have to be able to control the X11 display server to take advantage of this, which means you *have* to be logged in locally or be root.
Whilst I agree with the principle, I don't think this bug will have *any* impact, as most home boxes have no accounts accessible from the internet, that is able to run X11. If they have, they probably have bigger problems. Same goes for people running untrusted code that can execute this: it could as well provide a shell, or whatever. Yet, the problem is then *untrusted* code. A person that runs untrusted code can probably be coerced into running that as root as well.
So my guess: zero impact!
Assembling etherkillers for fun an profit
How many root exploits have been found for this driver, and how many have been found for opensource elements of the kernel while this driver has existed? Touting this as a reason to drop the closed source driver is nothing but politics and fearmongering, you guys should know better.