It is well-known that the Linux kernel is a common component of all Linux operating systems, not only used in server platforms but also in Android phones, tablets, and various IoT devices. Recently, the Perception Point research team revealed a core vulnerability in Linux (CVE-2016-0728), affecting multiple layers.
This discovery is a local privilege escalation vulnerability, which by itself is not considered a serious issue, but it can be combined with other vulnerabilities (especially application vulnerabilities) to launch more severe attacks.
According to the Perception Point research team, this vulnerability is likely to affect approximately 66% of Android devices worldwide. The impact on IoT devices, however, remains unclear.
For Android systems and IoT devices, the most important issue is how to obtain system updates. Most Android systems and IoT devices affected by this vulnerability may never receive updates, leaving users dependent on manufacturers to provide updates, meaning this vulnerability may persist indefinitely.
The Linux kernel has currently patched this vulnerability, and corresponding patches are available for various versions of Linux, so users should still update their servers. As for the affected Android phones, tablets, and IoT devices, users can only wait to see if manufacturers can provide updates.
As vulnerabilities continue to emerge, traditional security measures are proving ineffective, necessitating the use of next-generation security measures (APT detection technology). Currently, technologies reflecting APT detection methods include two aspects: (1) security vendors must have the capability to expose and discover system application 0-day vulnerabilities; (2) this capability must be applied within sandbox technology to form an APT attack governance solution centered on sandbox technology. AsiaInfo Security is a leader in APT attack governance technology, having disclosed 61 0-day and severe system application vulnerabilities in 2015, covering Microsoft’s Windows, IE, Office; Adobe’s PDF, Flash; Google’s Android; Apple’s OS X; Oracle’s Java, etc., making it the company with the most discovered vulnerabilities. At the same time, AsiaInfo Security applies this capability to an APT comprehensive governance solution centered on sandbox technology, providing customers with the most advanced APT defense capabilities.
AsiaInfo Security is an important business segment in AsiaInfo Group’s “Navigating the Industrial Internet” landscape, restructured in 2015 by AsiaInfo Technology through the acquisition of Trend Micro’s business in China, the largest independent network security software provider globally, focusing on the industrial internet security service field, and is a leading provider of cloud and big data security technology, products, solutions, and services in China.
