CVE-2018-15572

Publication date 19 August 2018

Last updated 25 August 2025

Ubuntu priority

High

Why this priority?

Cvss 3 Severity Score

6.5 · Medium

Score breakdown

Description

The spectre_v2_select_mitigation function in arch/x86/kernel/cpu/bugs.c in the Linux kernel before 4.18.1 does not always fill RSB upon a context switch, which makes it easier for attackers to conduct userspace-userspace spectreRSB attacks.

From the Ubuntu Security Team

It was discovered that microprocessors utilizing speculative execution and prediction of return addresses via Return Stack Buffer (RSB) may allow unauthorized memory reads via sidechannel attacks. An attacker could use this to expose sensitive information.

Status

Package Ubuntu Release Status
linux-aws 18.10 cosmic
Not affected
18.04 LTS bionic
Fixed 4.15.0-1023.23
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-1069.79
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 4.4.0-1031.34
linux-aws-hwe 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-azure 18.10 cosmic
Not affected
18.04 LTS bionic
Fixed 4.15.0-1025.26
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.15.0-1025.26~16.04.1
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 4.15.0-1030.31~14.04.1
linux-oracle 18.10 cosmic
Not affected
18.04 LTS bionic
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Not affected
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux 18.10 cosmic
Not affected
18.04 LTS bionic
Fixed 4.15.0-36.39
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-137.163
14.04 LTS trusty
Not affected
linux-azure-edge 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic
Fixed 4.15.0-1025.26
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.15.0-1025.26~16.04.1
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-euclid 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-flo 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-gcp 18.10 cosmic
Not affected
18.04 LTS bionic
Fixed 4.15.0-1021.22
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.15.0-1021.22~16.04.1
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-gcp-edge 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-gke 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Ignored end of standard support
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-goldfish 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-grouper 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-hwe 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.15.0-36.39~16.04.1
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-hwe-edge 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.15.0-36.39~16.04.1
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-kvm 18.10 cosmic
Not affected
18.04 LTS bionic
Fixed 4.15.0-1023.23
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-1035.41
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-lts-trusty 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-lts-utopic 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-lts-vivid 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-lts-wily 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-lts-xenial 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 4.4.0-137.163~14.04.1
linux-maguro 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-mako 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-manta 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic Not in release
16.04 LTS xenial Not in release
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-oem 18.10 cosmic
Not affected
18.04 LTS bionic
Fixed 4.15.0-1021.24
16.04 LTS xenial Ignored end of standard support, was needed
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-raspi2 18.10 cosmic
Not affected
18.04 LTS bionic
Fixed 4.15.0-1024.26
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-1098.106
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release
linux-snapdragon 18.10 cosmic Not in release
18.04 LTS bionic
Not affected
16.04 LTS xenial
Fixed 4.4.0-1102.107
14.04 LTS trusty Not in release

Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. How can I get the fixes?

Package Patch details
linux

Severity score breakdown

Parameter Value
Base score 6.5 · Medium
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity Low
Privileges required Low
User interaction None
Scope Changed
Confidentiality High
Integrity impact None
Availability impact None
Vector CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N

References

Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

    • USN-3776-1
    • Linux kernel vulnerabilities
    • 1 October 2018
    • USN-3776-2
    • Linux kernel (Xenial HWE) vulnerabilities
    • 1 October 2018
    • USN-3777-2
    • Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
    • 1 October 2018
    • USN-3777-1
    • Linux kernel vulnerabilities
    • 1 October 2018
    • USN-3777-3
    • Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
    • 23 October 2018
    • USN-3775-2
    • Linux kernel (Trusty HWE) vulnerabilities
    • 1 October 2018
    • USN-3775-1
    • Linux kernel vulnerabilities
    • 1 October 2018

Other references

Access our resources on patching vulnerabilities