CyberRota Analysis
AI-GeneratedThe vulnerability in the Linux kernel allows user-space applications to access kernel addresses through the branch stack, particularly on AMD processors with X86_FEATURE_AMD_LBR_V2. This exposure can lead to potential information leakage, compromising system integrity and confidentiality. Organizations using affected Linux distributions on compatible AMD hardware should prioritize this issue to mitigate risks associated with unauthorized access to sensitive kernel memory addresses.
Original NVD Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: perf/x86/amd/lbr: Fix kernel address leakage A user-only branch stack can contain branches that originate from the kernel. As a result, kernel addresses are exposed to user space even when PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_USER is requested. On AMD processors supporting X86_FEATURE_AMD_LBR_V2, perf can still report SYSRET/ERET entries for which the branch-from addresses are in the kernel. E.g. $ perf record -e cycles -o - -j any,save_type,u -- \ perf bench syscall basic --loop 1000 | \ perf script -i - -F brstack|tr ' ' '\n'| \ grep -E '0x[89a-f][0-9a-f]{15}' ... 0xffffffff81001268/0x717a90a38f1a/M/-/-/0/ERET/NON_SPEC_CORRECT_PATH 0xffffffff81001268/0x717a90a39157/M/-/-/0/ERET/NON_SPEC_CORRECT_PATH 0xffffffff81001268/0x717a90a2c628/M/-/-/0/ERET/NON_SPEC_CORRECT_PATH 0xffffffff81001268/0x717a90a41b60/M/-/-/0/ERET/NON_SPEC_CORRECT_PATH 0xffffffff81001268/0x717a90a260db/M/-/-/0/ERET/NON_SPEC_CORRECT_PATH 0xffffffff81001268/0x717a90a260db/M/-/-/0/ERET/NON_SPEC_CORRECT_PATH 0xffffffff81001268/0x717a8bef1c30/M/-/-/0/ERET/NON_SPEC_CORRECT_PATH 0xffffffff81001268/0x717a8e4d3c90/M/-/-/0/ERET/NON_SPEC_CORRECT_PATH ... The reason is that the hardware filter only considers the privilege level applicable to the branch target. Extend software filtering to also validate the branch-from addresses against br_sel, so that any branch record whose branch-from address is in the kernel is dropped when PERF_SAMPLE_BRANCH_USER is requested.