CVE-2024-44964
📋 TL;DR
A use-after-free vulnerability in the Linux kernel's idpf driver allows attackers to cause system crashes or potentially execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. This affects systems using Intel Data Plane Function (IDPF) network drivers. The vulnerability occurs during soft reset operations when memory management errors lead to dangling pointers.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with idpf 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic leading to denial of service, or potential privilege escalation allowing full system compromise if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
System crashes or instability when network interfaces using idpf driver undergo soft resets, causing denial of service.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if systems don't use idpf drivers or have proper memory protection mechanisms enabled.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to trigger soft resets on affected network interfaces, typically requiring local access or specific network operations.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel stable releases containing commits 6b289f8d91537ec1e4f9c7b38b31b90d93b1419b and f01032a2ca099ec8d619aaa916c3762aa62495df
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6b289f8d91537ec1e4f9c7b38b31b90d93b1419b
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify idpf driver is functioning correctly after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable idpf driver
linuxPrevent loading of vulnerable idpf driver module
echo 'blacklist idpf' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod idpf
Avoid soft resets
linuxPrevent conditions that trigger soft resets on affected interfaces
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable or remove idpf driver if not required for system functionality
- Implement strict access controls to prevent unauthorized users from triggering network interface operations
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if idpf driver is loaded: lsmod | grep idpf. Check kernel version against patched releases.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fixes: uname -r. Check system logs for idpf-related crashes after testing.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- idpf driver crash logs in dmesg
- System instability after network operations
Network Indicators:
- Network interface resets or failures on systems using idpf
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("idpf" OR "use-after-free" OR "kernel panic")