A critical vulnerability in a Linux kernel server used for file sharing may allow attackers to remotely hack into a system with maximum execution privileges.
The vulnerability, which has a CVSS score of 10, affects KSMBD-enabled servers. KSMBD is a Linux kernel server that allows employees to share files across an internal network.
An unauthenticated user could exploit the vulnerability to execute kernel-level arbitrary code on the vulnerable systems, according to Trend Micro’s Zero Day Initiative.
Since the KSMBD module is not as popular as the Samba suite, the potential impact of the vulnerability may be limited despite its severity, says Shir Tamari, head of research at Wiz, a cloud security startup. “The vulnerability only affects SMB servers using the experimental ksmbd module introduced in Linux 5.15. If your SMB server uses Samba, you’re safe,” Tamari says.
