CVE-2024-26655
📋 TL;DR
A memory leak vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's posix_clock_open() function where allocated memory isn't properly released when the clock's open operation fails. This affects all Linux systems using POSIX clocks, potentially leading to resource exhaustion over time.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux Kernel
📦 What is this software?
Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →Linux Kernel by Linux
The Linux Kernel is the core component of the Linux operating system, serving as the critical interface between computer hardware and software processes. As the heart of millions of servers, cloud infrastructure, embedded systems, Android devices, and IoT deployments worldwide, the Linux Kernel mana...
Learn more about Linux Kernel →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, denial of service, or kernel panic.
Likely Case
Gradual memory consumption leading to performance degradation over time, particularly on systems with frequent POSIX clock operations.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and memory limits in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires ability to trigger posix_clock_open() with failing clk ops.open() function. Typically requires local access or specific application interaction.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel trees (see references for specific commits)
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0200dd7ed2335469955d7e69cc1a6fa7df1f3847
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update to a patched kernel version from your distribution's repositories. 2. Reboot the system to load the new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Limit POSIX clock usage
linuxRestrict applications that heavily use POSIX clocks if possible
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement kernel memory monitoring and alerting for unusual consumption patterns
- Restrict user access to minimize potential for triggering the vulnerability
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and compare with patched versions from kernel.org stable treesCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version after update matches patched version and monitor for memory leaks📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- System memory exhaustion warnings
- Application crashes related to clock operations
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("out of memory" OR "oom-killer" OR "memory allocation failure")🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0200dd7ed2335469955d7e69cc1a6fa7df1f3847
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/375abf52353ca5e1a2e5f763629a870f91d0c38a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b4cdd9c5676559b8a7c944ac5269b914b8c0bb8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/62a5adf57b56ee94075c889abea518b9dc66895d
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a88649b49523e8cbe95254440d803e38c19d2341
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/ea2d9bfd422e92fd197f6a0b1fe7d81413b871e0
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f845cfa1a5ae697782bfcb843c9d06d3bc0cbbb6
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0200dd7ed2335469955d7e69cc1a6fa7df1f3847
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/5b4cdd9c5676559b8a7c944ac5269b914b8c0bb8
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/a88649b49523e8cbe95254440d803e38c19d2341
