CVE-2024-53100
📋 TL;DR
A race condition vulnerability exists in the Linux kernel's NVMe over TCP implementation where mutex_lock() in nvme_tcp_get_address() can race with mutex_destroy() in nvme_tcp_free_queue(), causing a kernel warning and potential system instability. This affects systems using NVMe over TCP storage with the nvme_tcp module loaded. The vulnerability requires local access to trigger.
💻 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic or system crash leading to denial of service and potential data corruption in NVMe storage operations.
Likely Case
Kernel warning messages in system logs and potential system instability or crashes during NVMe over TCP operations.
If Mitigated
Minor system instability with warning messages but no data loss if proper monitoring is in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and timing to trigger the race condition. No known public exploits exist.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patched in kernel commits: 4f946479b326a3cbb193f2b8368aed9269514c35, 782373ba27660ba7d330208cf5509ece6feb4545, 975cb1d2121511584695d0e47fdb90e6782da007, e15cebc1b21856944b387f4abd03b66bd3d4f027
Vendor Advisory: https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.html
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to patched version from your distribution vendor. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify nvme_tcp module loads without warnings.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable NVMe over TCP
linuxUnload nvme_tcp module to prevent vulnerability trigger
sudo modprobe -r nvme_tcp
echo 'blacklist nvme_tcp' | sudo tee /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-nvme-tcp.conf
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor system logs for kernel warnings related to nvme_tcp or mutex operations
- Restrict local user access to systems with NVMe over TCP configuration
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if nvme_tcp module is loaded: lsmod | grep nvme_tcp. Check kernel version against affected ranges.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Check kernel version is patched: uname -r. Verify no warnings in dmesg related to nvme_tcp or mutex.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel warnings with 'DEBUG_LOCKS_WARN_ON' or 'nvme_tcp' in dmesg or /var/log/kern.log
- System logs showing mutex-related warnings during NVMe operations
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local kernel vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("DEBUG_LOCKS_WARN_ON" OR "nvme_tcp" OR "mutex_destroy")🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/4f946479b326a3cbb193f2b8368aed9269514c35
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/782373ba27660ba7d330208cf5509ece6feb4545
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/975cb1d2121511584695d0e47fdb90e6782da007
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/e15cebc1b21856944b387f4abd03b66bd3d4f027
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/01/msg00001.html
