Google is dedicated to enhancing the safety of open-source applied sciences, particularly those who make up the inspiration for a lot of of our merchandise, like Linux and KVM. To this finish we’re excited to announce the launch of kvmCTF, a vulnerability reward program (VRP) for the Kernel-based Digital Machine (KVM) hypervisor first introduced in October 2023.
KVM is a sturdy hypervisor with over 15 years of open-source growth and is broadly used all through the buyer and enterprise panorama, together with platforms corresponding to Android and Google Cloud. Google is an lively contributor to the challenge and we designed kvmCTF as a collaborative means to assist establish & remediate vulnerabilities and additional harden this elementary safety boundary.
Just like kernelCTF, kvmCTF is a vulnerability reward program designed to assist establish and handle vulnerabilities within the Kernel-based Digital Machine (KVM) hypervisor. It presents a lab setting the place individuals can log in and make the most of their exploits to acquire flags. Considerably, in kvmCTF the main target is on zero day vulnerabilities and consequently, we won’t be rewarding exploits that use n-days vulnerabilities. Particulars relating to the zero day vulnerability shall be shared with Google after an upstream patch is launched to make sure that Google obtains them concurrently the remainder of the open-source neighborhood. Moreover, kvmCTF makes use of the Google Naked Metallic Resolution (BMS) setting to host its infrastructure. Lastly, given how crucial a hypervisor is to total system safety, kvmCTF will reward varied ranges of vulnerabilities as much as and together with code execution and VM escape.
The way it works
The setting consists of a naked steel host operating a single visitor VM. Individuals will be capable to reserve time slots to entry the visitor VM and try to carry out a guest-to-host assault. The objective of the assault have to be to take advantage of a zero day vulnerability within the KVM subsystem of the host kernel. If profitable, the attacker will receive a flag that proves their accomplishment in exploiting the vulnerability. The severity of the assault will decide the reward quantity, which shall be primarily based on the reward tier system defined under. All stories shall be totally evaluated on a case-by-case foundation.
The rewards tiers are the next:
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Full VM escape: $250,000
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Arbitrary reminiscence write: $100,000
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Arbitrary reminiscence learn: $50,000
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Relative reminiscence write: $50,000
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Denial of service: $20,000
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Relative reminiscence learn: $10,000
To facilitate the relative reminiscence write/learn tiers and partly the denial of service, kvmCTF presents the choice of utilizing a bunch with KASAN enabled. In that case, triggering a KASAN violation will permit the participant to acquire a flag as proof.
Learn how to take part
To start, begin by studying the guidelines of this system. There you’ll discover info on how one can reserve a time slot, connect with the visitor and procure the flags, the mapping of the assorted KASAN violations with the reward tiers and directions on how one can report a vulnerability, ship us your submission, or contact us on Discord.
