CVE-2024-44951
📋 TL;DR
A race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's SC16IS7xx serial driver allows data corruption between serial channels. When packets are received on one channel while another channel is transmitting, transmitted data can be corrupted with data from the receiving channel. This affects Linux systems using the SC16IS7xx serial interface chips.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with SC16IS7xx serial driver
📦 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Critical data corruption in industrial control systems, medical devices, or embedded systems using serial communication, potentially causing system malfunctions or safety hazards.
Likely Case
Data corruption in serial communications leading to application errors, protocol violations, or system instability in devices using multiple serial channels.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if systems use single-channel configurations or have error detection/correction at higher protocol layers.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires precise timing to trigger the race condition and access to serial interfaces. No public exploits known.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel stable versions with commits 09cfe05e9907f3276887a20e267cc40e202f4fdd and 133f4c00b8b2bfcacead9b81e7e8edfceb4b06c4
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/09cfe05e9907f3276887a20e267cc40e202f4fdd
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Reboot system. 3. For embedded systems, rebuild kernel with patches or update firmware.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable affected driver
linuxRemove or blacklist SC16IS7xx driver if not needed
echo 'blacklist sc16is7xx' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod sc16is7xx
Use single channel mode
linuxConfigure system to use only one serial channel per SC16IS7xx chip
Check device tree or kernel parameters for single-channel configuration
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement application-level data validation and checksums
- Isolate serial communication systems from untrusted networks
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if SC16IS7xx driver is loaded: 'uname -r' and 'lsmod | grep sc16is7xx'Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fixes: 'uname -r' should be patched version. Check driver functionality.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Serial communication errors
- UART/SC16IS7xx driver error messages
- Data corruption in serial logs
Network Indicators:
- Serial protocol violations
- Unexpected data patterns in serial streams
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND "sc16is7xx" AND ("error" OR "corrupt" OR "race")