CVE-2024-27417
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's IPv6 implementation. When userspace provides specific network namespace attributes without required address attributes, the kernel fails to properly release a 'struct net' reference, leading to potential resource exhaustion. This affects all Linux systems with IPv6 enabled.
💻 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 →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 →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 →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 potential kernel panic.
Likely Case
Local attackers could trigger the leak repeatedly to degrade system performance or cause denial of service conditions.
If Mitigated
With proper access controls and monitoring, impact is limited to resource consumption that can be detected and mitigated.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to craft specific netlink messages to trigger the leak condition
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel branches (commits provided in references)
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/10bfd453da64a057bcfd1a49fb6b271c48653cdb
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update to a patched kernel version from your distribution vendor. 2. Apply kernel patches from stable branches if compiling custom kernel. 3. Reboot system to load new kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable IPv6
linuxDisable IPv6 functionality to prevent exploitation of this specific vulnerability
echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/all/disable_ipv6
sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6=1
Restrict netlink access
linuxLimit which users can create netlink sockets to reduce attack surface
chmod 750 /proc/self/ns/net
setfacl -m u:root:rwx /proc/self/ns/net
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit which users can execute code on the system
- Monitor system memory usage and kernel resource consumption for unusual patterns
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and compare with patched versions from distribution vendor. Use 'uname -r' and check if patches from references are applied.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version after update matches patched version. Check if specific git commits are present in kernel source.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- Increased memory usage in /proc/meminfo
- System instability logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual netlink socket activity from non-privileged users
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("oom" OR "memory" OR "slab") AND NOT expected_process🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/10bfd453da64a057bcfd1a49fb6b271c48653cdb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1b0998fdd85776775d975d0024bca227597e836a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/33a1b6bfef6def2068c8703403759024ce17053e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/44112bc5c74e64f28f5a9127dc34066c7a09bd0f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/810fa7d5e5202fcfb22720304b755f1bdfd4c174
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a54834c03c30e549c33d5da0975f3e1454ec906
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9d4ffb5b9d879a75e4f7460e8b10e756b4dfb132
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/10bfd453da64a057bcfd1a49fb6b271c48653cdb
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1b0998fdd85776775d975d0024bca227597e836a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/33a1b6bfef6def2068c8703403759024ce17053e
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/44112bc5c74e64f28f5a9127dc34066c7a09bd0f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/810fa7d5e5202fcfb22720304b755f1bdfd4c174
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8a54834c03c30e549c33d5da0975f3e1454ec906
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/9d4ffb5b9d879a75e4f7460e8b10e756b4dfb132
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2024/06/msg00017.html
