CVE-2024-53117
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's virtio/vsock subsystem when handling MSG_ZEROCOPY errors. The missing kfree_skb() call could allow attackers to gradually exhaust kernel memory. This affects any system using Linux kernel with virtio/vsock functionality 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Sustained exploitation could lead to kernel memory exhaustion, causing system instability, denial of service, or potential kernel crashes.
Likely Case
Gradual memory consumption leading to performance degradation and eventual denial of service under repeated exploitation attempts.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper monitoring and memory limits in place, though some performance degradation may still occur.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires ability to trigger MSG_ZEROCOPY errors in virtio/vsock subsystem, typically requiring local access or specific network conditions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Kernel versions containing commits 50061d7319e21165d04e3024354c1b43b6137821 and 60cf6206a1f513512f5d73fa4d3dbbcad2e7dcd6
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/50061d7319e21165d04e3024354c1b43b6137821
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable virtio/vsock
linuxDisable the vulnerable virtio/vsock subsystem if not required
modprobe -r vsock_virtio
echo 'blacklist vsock_virtio' > /etc/modprobe.d/disable-vsock.conf
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement kernel memory monitoring and alerting for unusual consumption patterns
- Restrict access to systems using virtio/vsock functionality to trusted users only
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if virtio/vsock module is loaded: lsmod | grep vsock_virtio. If loaded and kernel version is before fix commits, system may be vulnerable.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits: uname -r and check with distribution vendor for specific patched versions.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel oom-killer messages
- High memory usage in kernel space
- System instability logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual virtio/vsock traffic patterns
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("oom" OR "out of memory" OR "memory allocation failure")