CVE-2017-17805
kernel: Salsa20 encryption algorithm does not correctly handle zero-length inputs allowing local attackers to cause denial-of-service
Severity
ModerateRed Hat Product Security
CVSS 3.0
Review impact separately from score.
Published · November 29, 2017
Updated · June 28, 2026
Description
The Salsa20 encryption algorithm in the Linux kernel, before 4.14.8, does not correctly handle zero-length inputs. This allows a local attacker the ability to use the AF_ALG-based skcipher interface to cause a denial of service (uninitialized-memory free and kernel crash) or have an unspecified other impact by executing a crafted sequence of system calls that use the blkcipher_walk API. Both the generic implementation (crypto/salsa20_generic.c) and x86 implementation (arch/x86/crypto/salsa20_glue.c) of Salsa20 are vulnerable.
Statement
This issue does not affect the Linux kernel packages as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 as the code with the flaw is not present in the products listed.
This issue affects the versions of the Linux kernel as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, 7, its real-time kernel, Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 for ARM 64, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 for Power 9 LE. Future Linux kernel updates for the respective releases may address this issue.
CVSS score applicability
The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.
Mitigation
No mitigation is specified in collected source.
CVSS / CWE
CVSS 3.0 · 5.5CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
CWE-20 · Improper Input Validation