CVE-2024-53119 – A memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-53119?

CVE-2024-53119 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). A memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's virtio/vsock subsystem allows unremoved sockets to accumulate in the accept_queue during socket destruction. This affects systems using virtio vsock communication, particularly virtualized environments and containers. The vulnerability can lead to kernel memory exhaustion over time.

📋 TL;DR

A memory leak vulnerability in the Linux kernel's virtio/vsock subsystem allows unremoved sockets to accumulate in the accept_queue during socket destruction. This affects systems using virtio vsock communication, particularly virtualized environments and containers. The vulnerability can lead to kernel memory exhaustion over time.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Kernel versions with the vulnerable virtio/vsock code (specific affected versions not specified in CVE, but patches available for stable branches)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Requires virtio vsock functionality to be enabled and used; common in virtualized environments (KVM, QEMU) and container runtimes.

📦 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...

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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 →

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 kernel panic.

🟠

Likely Case

Gradual memory leak leading to performance degradation and potential system instability over time in systems with high vsock connection churn.

🟢

If Mitigated

Minimal impact with proper monitoring and memory limits in place; memory would eventually be reclaimed after system restart.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - vsock is typically used for internal communication between virtual machines/hosts and containers, not directly internet-exposed.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Affects virtualization and container platforms where vsock is used for inter-component communication; could impact cloud infrastructure and container orchestration systems.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: NO

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: MEDIUM

Exploitation requires ability to create vsock connections; typically requires local access or ability to communicate via vsock from within a VM/container.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel branches (see references for specific commits)

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2415345042245de7601dcc6eafdbe3a3dcc9e379

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update to a patched kernel version from your distribution vendor. 2. For custom kernels, apply the fix commit to your kernel source. 3. Recompile and install the updated kernel. 4. Reboot the system.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable virtio vsock

linux

Disable the virtio vsock module if not required for your workload

echo 'blacklist virtio_vsock' > /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist-virtio-vsock.conf
rmmod virtio_vsock

Limit vsock connections

linux

Implement connection rate limiting and monitoring for vsock usage

# Monitor vsock connections: ss -a | grep vsock
# Implement connection limits in application code

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Monitor kernel memory usage and system logs for signs of memory exhaustion
Implement regular system reboots to clear accumulated memory leaks

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check kernel version and if virtio_vsock module is loaded: lsmod | grep virtio_vsock && uname -r

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version is updated to include the fix commit or check with distribution vendor for patched kernel

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel oom-killer messages
Increasing kernel memory usage in /proc/meminfo
System instability or performance degradation

Network Indicators:

Unusual vsock connection patterns

SIEM Query:

source="kernel" AND ("out of memory" OR "oom-killer" OR "vsock")

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-53119

CVSS v3 Score: 5.5 (MEDIUM)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CWE: CWE-401

Published: December 2, 2024

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

🔗 References

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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