Linux Kernel RDS Protocol Privilege Escalation Vulnerability (CVE-2010-3904) Technical Analysis and Mitigation Guide
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTLinux kernel versions before 2.6.36 with the Reliable Datagram Sockets (RDS) protocol module enabled
Local unprivileged users can exploit this vulnerability via crafted sendmsg and recvmsg system calls to gain full root privileges
Upgrade the Linux kernel to a patched version, or disable the RDS kernel module by blacklisting it if not required
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
Update your Linux kernel to the latest stable release using your distribution's package manager.
# For Debian/Ubuntu-based systems
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install --only-upgrade linux-image-generic -y
# For RHEL/CentOS-based systems
sudo yum update kernel -y
# Reboot the system to apply the new kernel
sudo reboot2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If patching cannot be applied immediately, disable the RDS kernel module to prevent exploitation.
# Prevent the RDS module from being loaded automatically
echo 'install rds /bin/true' | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/rds-blacklist.conf
# Unload the RDS module if it is currently loaded
sudo rmmod rds 2>/dev/null || true3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following commands to check the kernel version, RDS module status, and system logs for potential exploitation attempts.
# Check the running kernel version
uname -r
# Verify if the RDS module is currently loaded
lsmod | grep rds
# Audit system logs for RDS-related anomalies or segmentation faults
sudo dmesg | grep -i 'rds' || sudo grep -i 'rds' /var/log/syslogBlock Kernel Privilege Escalation & Ransomware Payloads Before You Can Reboot
Protect unpatched Windows, Linux, and macOS workloads against in-memory exploitation and lateral movement with autonomous EDR.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability exists in the rds_page_copy_user function within net/rds/page.c of the Reliable Datagram Sockets (RDS) protocol implementation in the Linux kernel. The root cause is a failure to properly validate user-space addresses before performing memory copy operations (CWE-1284). This allows user-space processes to bypass standard memory boundary checks and directly read or write to arbitrary kernel memory spaces.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker with local access creates a socket bound to the RDS protocol. By invoking the sendmsg or recvmsg system calls with specially crafted arguments containing kernel-space addresses, the attacker triggers the vulnerable rds_page_copy_user function. Because the function lacks proper verification of the target address, it executes direct memory copies to/from kernel space, allowing the attacker to overwrite critical kernel structures (such as the process's cred structure) to elevate privileges to root.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
As a high-severity vulnerability listed in the CISA KEV catalog, this flaw has been actively exploited in the wild. In multi-tenant environments, shared hosting, or container hosts, a local attacker with low-privilege shell access can leverage this vulnerability to achieve full host compromise, completely undermining the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the infrastructure.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
The rds_page_copy_user function in net/rds/page.c in the Reliable Datagram Sockets (RDS) protocol implementation in the Linux kernel before 2.6.36 does not properly validate addresses obtained from user space, which allows local users to gain privileges via crafted use of the sendmsg and recvmsg system calls.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2010-3904)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2010-3904 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2010-3904 is rated CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 15.9%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2010-3904?
Primary impacted vendors include linux across linux_kernel. Scope summary: All Linux kernel versions prior to 2.6.36 where the RDS protocol module is enabled
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2010-3904 before patching?
[Mitigation] Upgrade the Linux kernel to a patched version, or disable the RDS kernel module by blacklisting it if not required Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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