CVE-2024-53215 – A memory management vulnerability in the Linux ... (How to Fix)

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2024-53215?

CVE-2024-53215 has a CVSS score of 5.5 (MEDIUM). A memory management vulnerability in the Linux kernel's svcrdma module causes improper cleanup of percpu counters when sysctl registration fails. This leads to either kernel crashes (if CONFIG_HOTPLUG_CPU is enabled) or memory leaks (if disabled). Systems using the kernel's Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) transport are affected.

📋 TL;DR

A memory management vulnerability in the Linux kernel's svcrdma module causes improper cleanup of percpu counters when sysctl registration fails. This leads to either kernel crashes (if CONFIG_HOTPLUG_CPU is enabled) or memory leaks (if disabled). Systems using the kernel's Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) transport are affected.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Linux kernel

Versions: Specific kernel versions containing the vulnerable code (check git commits for exact ranges)

Operating Systems: Linux distributions using affected kernel versions

Default Config Vulnerable: ✅ No

Notes: Only vulnerable if RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) functionality is compiled into the kernel and used. CONFIG_HOTPLUG_CPU configuration affects the manifestation (crash vs leak).

📦 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

Kernel panic and system crash when unloading the svcrdma module, causing denial of service and potential data loss.

🟠

Likely Case

Memory leak that gradually consumes system resources, potentially leading to performance degradation or instability over time.

🟢

If Mitigated

No impact if the vulnerability is patched or if RDMA functionality is not used.

🌐 Internet-Facing: LOW - Requires local access or RDMA network access to trigger, not directly exploitable over standard internet protocols.

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM - Could be triggered by legitimate administrative actions or RDMA-related operations within the network.

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: NO

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: HIGH

Exploitation requires ability to load/unload kernel modules or trigger RDMA operations. This is a reliability issue rather than a security bypass vulnerability.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Kernel versions containing fixes from the provided git commits

Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1c9a99c89e45b22eb556fd2f3f729f2683f247d5

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Update to a patched kernel version from your distribution vendor. 2. Reboot the system to load the new kernel. 3. Verify the fix by checking kernel version.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Disable RDMA module

linux

Prevent loading of the vulnerable svcrdma module

echo 'blacklist svcrdma' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf
rmmod svcrdma

Disable CONFIG_HOTPLUG_CPU

linux

Prevent kernel crashes (will still have memory leak)

Rebuild kernel with CONFIG_HOTPLUG_CPU=n

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Avoid loading or unloading the svcrdma kernel module
Monitor system memory usage for unusual leaks and restart if degradation occurs

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check if svcrdma module is loaded: lsmod | grep svcrdma. Check kernel version against patched versions.

Check Version:

uname -r

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify kernel version is updated to a version containing the fix commits. Test by loading/unloading svcrdma module (if needed).

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Kernel oops messages mentioning percpu_counter_destroy_many
System crash/panic logs when unloading modules
Memory leak indicators in system monitoring

Network Indicators:

RDMA connection attempts if module is loaded

SIEM Query:

Search for: 'percpu_counter_destroy_many' OR 'svcrdma' AND 'Oops' OR 'panic' in kernel logs

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2024-53215

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 27, 2024

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

🔗 References

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🔗 Related Vulnerabilities

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