QID 352490

Date Published: 2021-07-21

QID 352490: Amazon Linux Security Advisory for grub2: ALAS2-2021-1684

A flaw was found in grub 2, where it incorrectly enables the usage of the acpi command when secure boot is enabled.
This flaw allows an attacker with privileged access to craft a secondary system description table (ssdt) containing code to overwrite the linux kernel lockdown variable content directly into memory.
The table is further loaded and executed by the kernel, defeating its secure boot lockdown and allowing the attacker to load unsigned code.
The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity, as well as system availability. (
( CVE-2020-14372) a flaw was found in grub2.
The rmmod implementation allows the unloading of a module used as a dependency without checking if any other dependent module is still loaded leading to a use-after-free scenario.
This could allow arbitrary code to be executed or a bypass of secure boot protections.
The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality and integrity as well as system availability. (
( CVE-2020-25632) a flaw was found in grub2.
During usb device initialization, descriptors are read with very little bounds checking and assumes the usb device is providing sane values.
If properly exploited, an attacker could trigger memory corruption leading to arbitrary code execution allowing a bypass of the secure boot mechanism.
( CVE-2020-25647) a flaw was found in grub2.
Variable names present are expanded in the supplied command line into their corresponding variable contents, using a 1kb stack buffer for temporary storage, without sufficient bounds checking.
If the function is called with a command line that references a variable with a sufficiently large payload, it is possible to overflow the stack buffer, corrupt the stack frame and control execution which could also circumvent secure boot protections.
( CVE-2020-27749) a flaw was found in grub2.
The cutmem command does not honor secure boot locking allowing an privileged attacker to remove address ranges from memory creating an opportunity to circumvent secureboot protections after proper triage about grub's memory layout.
( CVE-2020-27779) a flaw was found in grub2.
The option parser allows an attacker to write past the end of a heap-allocated buffer by calling certain commands with a large number of specific short forms of options.
( CVE-2021-20225) a flaw was found in grub2.
Setparam_prefix() in the menu rendering code performs a length calculation on the assumption that expressing a quoted single quote will require 3 characters, while it actually requires 4 characters which allows an attacker to corrupt memory by one byte for each quote in the input.
( CVE-2021-20233)



Note: The preceding description block is extracted directly from the security advisory. Using automation, we have attempted to clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues.

Allows unauthorized disclosure of information; allows unauthorized modification; allows disruption of service.

  • CVSS V3 rated as Critical - 8.2 severity.
  • CVSS V2 rated as High - 7.2 severity.
  • Solution
    Please refer to Amazon advisory: ALAS2-2021-1684 for affected packages and patching details, or update with your package manager.
    Vendor References
    Software Advisories
    Advisory ID Software Component Link
    ALAS2-2021-1684 Amazon Linux 2 URL Logo alas.aws.amazon.com/AL2/ALAS-2021-1684.html