CVE-2024-53155
📋 TL;DR
This CVE-2024-53155 is an uninitialized variable vulnerability in the Linux kernel's OCFS2 filesystem driver. It allows attackers to potentially read uninitialized kernel memory, which could lead to information disclosure or system crashes. Systems using OCFS2 filesystems with affected Linux kernel versions are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with OCFS2 filesystem support
📦 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
Kernel memory information disclosure leading to privilege escalation or system crash/instability
Likely Case
Information disclosure of kernel memory contents, potentially exposing sensitive data
If Mitigated
Limited impact if OCFS2 filesystems are not in use or proper access controls restrict user access
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access and ability to trigger the vulnerable code path in ocfs2_file_read_iter()
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel branches (see references)
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/366c933c2ab34dd6551acc03b4872726b7605143
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update to patched kernel version from your distribution vendor. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify kernel version after reboot.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable OCFS2 module
linuxPrevent loading of OCFS2 kernel module if not needed
echo 'install ocfs2 /bin/true' >> /etc/modprobe.d/disable-ocfs2.conf
rmmod ocfs2
Restrict OCFS2 filesystem access
linuxLimit which users can access OCFS2 filesystems
chmod 700 /path/to/ocfs2/mount
setfacl -m u:username:rx /path/to/ocfs2/mount
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable OCFS2 filesystem usage and unmount any OCFS2 volumes
- Implement strict access controls to limit which users can access OCFS2 filesystems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if OCFS2 module is loaded: lsmod | grep ocfs2 AND check kernel version against patched versionsCheck Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version after update and ensure OCFS2 module version matches patched kernel📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic logs
- KMSAN error messages in dmesg
- Unexpected system crashes
Network Indicators:
- None - local vulnerability only
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("KMSAN" OR "uninit-value" OR "ocfs2_file_read_iter")🔗 References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/366c933c2ab34dd6551acc03b4872726b7605143
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/66b7ddd1804e2c4216dd7ead8eeb746cdbb3b62f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6c8f8d1e595dabd5389817f6d798cc8bd95c40ab
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/83f8713a0ef1d55d6a287bcfadcaab8245ac5098
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8c966150d5abff58c3c2bdb9a6e63fd773782905
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/8e0de82ed18ba0e71f817adbd81317fd1032ca5a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/adc77b19f62d7e80f98400b2fca9d700d2afdd6f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/dc78efe556fed162d48736ef24066f42e463e27c
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/f4078ef38d3163e6be47403a619558b19c4bfccd
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00001.html
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/03/msg00002.html
