Linux Kernel Exploit Busily Rooting 64-Bit Machines

An anonymous reader writes "Running 64-bit Linux? Haven't updated yet? You're probably being rooted as I type this. CVE-2010-3081, this week's second high-profile local root exploit in the Linux kernel, is compromising machines left and right. Almost all 64-bit machines are affected, and 'Ac1db1tch3z' (classy) published code to let any local user get a root shell. Ac1db1tch3z's exploit is more malicious than usual because it leaves a backdoor behind for itself to exploit later even if the hole is patched. Luckily, there's a tool you can run to see if you've already been exploited, courtesy of security company Ksplice, which beat most of the Linux vendors with a 'rebootless' version of the patch."

Comments

Re:Oh Noes

[syousef]

The Windows geeks obviously will want to paint this as a native Linux vulnerability that they don't have - and it is marginally true.

"Marginally true"??? What's that? Is it like marginally dead or perhaps marginally pregnant? Wait a second. That can't be true. Everyone knows Linux users don't get rooted ;-)