[PATCH 0/4] x86, boot: KASLR memory randomization

[PATCH 0/4] x86, boot: KASLR memory randomization

[Thomas Garnier]

This is PATCH v1 for KASLR memory implementation on x86_64. Minor changes
were done based on RFC v1 comments.

***Background:
The current implementation of KASLR randomizes only the base address of
the kernel and its modules. Research was published showing that static
memory can be overwitten to elevate privileges bypassing KASLR.

In more details:

    The physical memory mapping holds most allocations from boot and heap
    allocators. Knowning the base address and physical memory size, an
    attacker can deduce the PDE virtual address for the vDSO memory page.
    This attack was demonstrated at CanSecWest 2016, in the "Getting
    Physical Extreme Abuse of Intel Based Paged Systems"
    https://goo.gl/ANpWdV (see second part of the presentation). Similar
    research was done at Google leading to this patch proposal. Variants
    exists to overwrite /proc or /sys objects ACLs leading to elevation of
    privileges. These variants were tested against 4.6+.

This set of patches randomizes base address and padding of three
major memory sections (physical memory mapping, vmalloc & vmemmap).
It mitigates exploits relying on predictable kernel addresses. This
feature can be enabled with the CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_MEMORY option.

Padding for the memory hotplug support is managed by
CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_MEMORY_PHYSICAL_PADDING. The default value is 10
terabytes.

The patches were tested on qemu & physical machines. Xen compatibility was
also verified. Multiple reboots were used to verify entropy for each
memory section.

***Problems that needed solving:
 - The three target memory sections are never at the same place between
   boots.
 - The physical memory mapping can use a virtual address not aligned on
   the PGD page table.
 - Have good entropy early at boot before get_random_bytes is available.
 - Add optional padding for memory hotplug compatibility.

***Parts:
 - The first part prepares for the KASLR memory randomization by
   refactoring entropy functions used by the current implementation and
   support PUD level virtual addresses for physical mapping.
   (Patches 01-02)
 - The second part implements the KASLR memory randomization for all
   sections mentioned.
   (Patch 03)
 - The third part adds support for memory hotplug by adding an option to
   define the padding used between the physical memory mapping section
   and the others.
   (Patch 04)

Thanks!

[kernel-hardening] [PATCH 0/4] x86, boot: KASLR memory randomization

[Thomas Garnier]

This is PATCH v1 for KASLR memory implementation on x86_64. Minor changes
were done based on RFC v1 comments.

***Background:
The current implementation of KASLR randomizes only the base address of
the kernel and its modules. Research was published showing that static
memory can be overwitten to elevate privileges bypassing KASLR.

In more details:

    The physical memory mapping holds most allocations from boot and heap
    allocators. Knowning the base address and physical memory size, an
    attacker can deduce the PDE virtual address for the vDSO memory page.
    This attack was demonstrated at CanSecWest 2016, in the "Getting
    Physical Extreme Abuse of Intel Based Paged Systems"
    https://goo.gl/ANpWdV (see second part of the presentation). Similar
    research was done at Google leading to this patch proposal. Variants
    exists to overwrite /proc or /sys objects ACLs leading to elevation of
    privileges. These variants were tested against 4.6+.

This set of patches randomizes base address and padding of three
major memory sections (physical memory mapping, vmalloc & vmemmap).
It mitigates exploits relying on predictable kernel addresses. This
feature can be enabled with the CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_MEMORY option.

Padding for the memory hotplug support is managed by
CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_MEMORY_PHYSICAL_PADDING. The default value is 10
terabytes.

The patches were tested on qemu & physical machines. Xen compatibility was
also verified. Multiple reboots were used to verify entropy for each
memory section.

***Problems that needed solving:
 - The three target memory sections are never at the same place between
   boots.
 - The physical memory mapping can use a virtual address not aligned on
   the PGD page table.
 - Have good entropy early at boot before get_random_bytes is available.
 - Add optional padding for memory hotplug compatibility.

***Parts:
 - The first part prepares for the KASLR memory randomization by
   refactoring entropy functions used by the current implementation and
   support PUD level virtual addresses for physical mapping.
   (Patches 01-02)
 - The second part implements the KASLR memory randomization for all
   sections mentioned.
   (Patch 03)
 - The third part adds support for memory hotplug by adding an option to
   define the padding used between the physical memory mapping section
   and the others.
   (Patch 04)

Thanks!

Re: [PATCH 0/4] x86, boot: KASLR memory randomization

[Thomas Garnier]

Any feedback on this patch proposal?

Thanks,
Thomas

On Mon, Apr 25, 2016 at 9:39 AM, Thomas Garnier <thgarnie@google.com> wrote:
> This is PATCH v1 for KASLR memory implementation on x86_64. Minor changes
> were done based on RFC v1 comments.
>
> ***Background:
> The current implementation of KASLR randomizes only the base address of
> the kernel and its modules. Research was published showing that static
> memory can be overwitten to elevate privileges bypassing KASLR.
>
> In more details:
>
>     The physical memory mapping holds most allocations from boot and heap
>     allocators. Knowning the base address and physical memory size, an
>     attacker can deduce the PDE virtual address for the vDSO memory page.
>     This attack was demonstrated at CanSecWest 2016, in the "Getting
>     Physical Extreme Abuse of Intel Based Paged Systems"
>     https://goo.gl/ANpWdV (see second part of the presentation). Similar
>     research was done at Google leading to this patch proposal. Variants
>     exists to overwrite /proc or /sys objects ACLs leading to elevation of
>     privileges. These variants were tested against 4.6+.
>
> This set of patches randomizes base address and padding of three
> major memory sections (physical memory mapping, vmalloc & vmemmap).
> It mitigates exploits relying on predictable kernel addresses. This
> feature can be enabled with the CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_MEMORY option.
>
> Padding for the memory hotplug support is managed by
> CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_MEMORY_PHYSICAL_PADDING. The default value is 10
> terabytes.
>
> The patches were tested on qemu & physical machines. Xen compatibility was
> also verified. Multiple reboots were used to verify entropy for each
> memory section.
>
> ***Problems that needed solving:
>  - The three target memory sections are never at the same place between
>    boots.
>  - The physical memory mapping can use a virtual address not aligned on
>    the PGD page table.
>  - Have good entropy early at boot before get_random_bytes is available.
>  - Add optional padding for memory hotplug compatibility.
>
> ***Parts:
>  - The first part prepares for the KASLR memory randomization by
>    refactoring entropy functions used by the current implementation and
>    support PUD level virtual addresses for physical mapping.
>    (Patches 01-02)
>  - The second part implements the KASLR memory randomization for all
>    sections mentioned.
>    (Patch 03)
>  - The third part adds support for memory hotplug by adding an option to
>    define the padding used between the physical memory mapping section
>    and the others.
>    (Patch 04)
>
> Thanks!
>

[kernel-hardening] Re: [PATCH 0/4] x86, boot: KASLR memory randomization

[Thomas Garnier]

Any feedback on this patch proposal?

Thanks,
Thomas

On Mon, Apr 25, 2016 at 9:39 AM, Thomas Garnier <thgarnie@google.com> wrote:
> This is PATCH v1 for KASLR memory implementation on x86_64. Minor changes
> were done based on RFC v1 comments.
>
> ***Background:
> The current implementation of KASLR randomizes only the base address of
> the kernel and its modules. Research was published showing that static
> memory can be overwitten to elevate privileges bypassing KASLR.
>
> In more details:
>
>     The physical memory mapping holds most allocations from boot and heap
>     allocators. Knowning the base address and physical memory size, an
>     attacker can deduce the PDE virtual address for the vDSO memory page.
>     This attack was demonstrated at CanSecWest 2016, in the "Getting
>     Physical Extreme Abuse of Intel Based Paged Systems"
>     https://goo.gl/ANpWdV (see second part of the presentation). Similar
>     research was done at Google leading to this patch proposal. Variants
>     exists to overwrite /proc or /sys objects ACLs leading to elevation of
>     privileges. These variants were tested against 4.6+.
>
> This set of patches randomizes base address and padding of three
> major memory sections (physical memory mapping, vmalloc & vmemmap).
> It mitigates exploits relying on predictable kernel addresses. This
> feature can be enabled with the CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_MEMORY option.
>
> Padding for the memory hotplug support is managed by
> CONFIG_RANDOMIZE_MEMORY_PHYSICAL_PADDING. The default value is 10
> terabytes.
>
> The patches were tested on qemu & physical machines. Xen compatibility was
> also verified. Multiple reboots were used to verify entropy for each
> memory section.
>
> ***Problems that needed solving:
>  - The three target memory sections are never at the same place between
>    boots.
>  - The physical memory mapping can use a virtual address not aligned on
>    the PGD page table.
>  - Have good entropy early at boot before get_random_bytes is available.
>  - Add optional padding for memory hotplug compatibility.
>
> ***Parts:
>  - The first part prepares for the KASLR memory randomization by
>    refactoring entropy functions used by the current implementation and
>    support PUD level virtual addresses for physical mapping.
>    (Patches 01-02)
>  - The second part implements the KASLR memory randomization for all
>    sections mentioned.
>    (Patch 03)
>  - The third part adds support for memory hotplug by adding an option to
>    define the padding used between the physical memory mapping section
>    and the others.
>    (Patch 04)
>
> Thanks!
>