Linux 3.16~4.18.8 Affected By Another Potential Local Privilege Escalation Bug

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Linux 3.16~4.18.8 Affected By Another Potential Local Privilege Escalation Bug

From June of 2014 with Linux 3.16 until last week, the Linux kernel was affected by another potential local privilege escalation bug...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-3.16-4.18-vmacache-bug

[Azrael5]

Which kernels will be patched?

[Ikaris]

What about Android phones with "outdated" kernels? Mine's on 3.18.

[Serafean]

What about Android phones with "outdated" kernels? Mine's on 3.18.

*walks away laughing*

[davidbepo]

a security fix that also improves performance? NICE

[starshipeleven]

Which kernels will be patched?

latest and LTS ones will be patched by upstream. Your distro may or may not patch its kernel (if they are not running latest or LTS kernels already), you need to ask them.

[starshipeleven]

What about Android phones with "outdated" kernels? Mine's on 3.18.

Throw it away and buy a new one. Only way to get updated kernels on Android.

[nanonyme]

Throw it away and buy a new one. Only way to get updated kernels on Android.

Yeah, the QA process for publishing new kernels to phones is most likely a complete nightmare. I feel sorry for their R&D people

[dungeon]

What about Android phones with "outdated" kernels? Mine's on 3.18.

Well, what are you waiting for as patch is there just apply it and start compiling.

GKH likely is on his hardest times to maintain nearly everthing on kernel.org

[starshipeleven]

Yeah, the QA process for publishing new kernels to phones is most likely a complete nightmare. I feel sorry for their R&D people

There is no QA for "updates" at all, the engineers preparing the SDK/BSP are just reassigned to the next SoC well before the current SoC is sold to OEMs. They might work on updates only if they have free time between a SoC release and the next (usually they don't).

There is limited or no QA on Android updates too (i.e. updates to Android userspace only, no kernel changes), which is why in many cases there is breakage and performance/battery life losses after you upgrade the firmware.

This is also true for embedded SoCs for NAS and routers.

Consumer embedded development in general is a cesspool of cost-saving, they are cutting all possible corners even for hardware that is sold for 600+ euros and has an aura of "luxury".