How attackers break into out-of-date kernels
Kernel Trouble
This deep look at how intruders attack an out-of-date kernel should be enough to convince you of the need to stay vigilant.
The multitudinous varieties of attacks that can affect OSs are hard to keep up with, but recently I wanted to test some Linux kernel exploits to keep up with my interest in ethical hacking. Such attacks often occur once access has been gained to a system. They are sometimes used in order to achieve privilege escalation – in other words, to boost a non-root user's privileges to the level of the root user in order to gain full control of the system.
It is easy to become content with the kernel you are running and forget to install all the updates and upgrade the system when the kernel is no longer supported. Many users install long-term support (LTS) Linux systems and get so used to them after five years that they aren't in a hurry to upgrade when the service cycle ends.
This article will introduce you to some techniques intruders use to attack old kernels, and, in case you ever had any doubts, it should convince you to never fall behind on those kernel patches and updates.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Gnome 48 Debuts New Audio Player
To date, the audio player found within the Gnome desktop has been meh at best, but with the upcoming release that all changes.
-
Plasma 6.3 Ready for Public Beta Testing
Plasma 6.3 will ship with KDE Gear 24.12.1 and KDE Frameworks 6.10, along with some new and exciting features.
-
Budgie 10.10 Scheduled for Q1 2025 with a Surprising Desktop Update
If Budgie is your desktop environment of choice, 2025 is going to be a great year for you.
-
Firefox 134 Offers Improvements for Linux Version
Fans of Linux and Firefox rejoice, as there's a new version available that includes some handy updates.
-
Serpent OS Arrives with a New Alpha Release
After months of silence, Ikey Doherty has released a new alpha for his Serpent OS.
-
HashiCorp Cofounder Unveils Ghostty, a Linux Terminal App
Ghostty is a new Linux terminal app that's fast, feature-rich, and offers a platform-native GUI while remaining cross-platform.
-
Fedora Asahi Remix 41 Available for Apple Silicon
If you have an Apple Silicon Mac and you're hoping to install Fedora, you're in luck because the latest release supports the M1 and M2 chips.
-
Systemd Fixes Bug While Facing New Challenger in GNU Shepherd
The systemd developers have fixed a really nasty bug amid the release of the new GNU Shepherd init system.
-
AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta Released
The AlmaLinux OS Foundation has announced the availability of AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta ("Purple Lion") for all supported devices with significant changes.
-
Gnome 47.2 Now Available
Gnome 47.2 is now available for general use but don't expect much in the way of newness, as this is all about improvements and bug fixes.