CVE-2024-50170
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability is a memory leak in the Linux kernel's Broadcom ASP network driver (bcmasp_xmit function). When network packet mapping fails, the driver doesn't properly free the packet buffer, causing gradual memory exhaustion. This affects Linux systems using the bcmasp network driver.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with bcmasp network 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could cause kernel memory exhaustion leading to system instability, denial of service, or potential kernel panic/crash.
Likely Case
Gradual memory consumption causing performance degradation and eventual system instability requiring reboot.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and memory limits in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to trigger network packet mapping failures in the bcmasp driver, which may require specific network conditions or driver states.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patched in kernel commits: 7218de0778aefbbbcfe474a55f88bbf6f244627d, f689f20d3e09f2d4d0a2c575a9859115a33e68bd, fed07d3eb8a8d9fcc0e455175a89bc6445d6faed
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/7218de0778aefbbbcfe474a55f88bbf6f244627d
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify bcmasp driver is using patched code.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable bcmasp driver
linuxRemove or blacklist the vulnerable network driver if alternative networking is available
echo 'blacklist bcmasp' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod bcmasp
Memory monitoring and limits
linuxImplement strict memory monitoring and limits to detect/prevent memory exhaustion
# Set up monitoring with tools like atop, htop, or custom scripts
# Configure cgroups memory limits for critical processes
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement aggressive memory monitoring with automated alerts for unusual consumption
- Isolate affected systems from untrusted network traffic and limit network throughput
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if bcmasp driver is loaded: lsmod | grep bcmasp. Check kernel version against patched commits.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel includes fix commits: git log --oneline | grep -E '7218de0|f689f20|fed07d3'. Ensure bcmasp driver loads without errors.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- Memory allocation failures in dmesg
- Network driver error messages
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network packet drops on bcmasp interfaces
- Gradual performance degradation
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("oom" OR "memory" OR "bcmasp") AND ("fail" OR "error" OR "panic")