A vulnerability in the 32-bit compatibility mode of the latest Linux kernel and old editions for 64-bit systems might be ill-used to acquire access to higher rights. Attacker could do this, for example, after a break-through a gap in Web use in order to get full with root privileges, the system under their control. Cause of the problem is, according to report the failure to examine the 32-bit Call-emulation layer that the requested call really syscall table is also available. According to the discoverer Ben Hawkes This can be exploited to execute code with kernel privileges own. An exploit has already circulated that a short test of the heise Security editorial team on a 64-bit Ubuntu 10:04 a shell with root privileges opened in.

The kernel developers have the error in the repository resolved, the Linux distributors are likely to soon publish a new kernel in order to close the gap. Until then, switching off 32-bit ELF support of protecting. if this is not needed. Interestingly, according to Hawkes, the gap already in 2007 discovered and closed. Sometime in 2008 the kernel developers to fix but have done the reverse, so that the kernel was vulnerable again. The then is to exploit a few adjustments require only have to fill the gap once again to exploit.