CVE-2024-57928
📋 TL;DR
This CVE-2024-57928 is a memory handling vulnerability in the Linux kernel's netfs subsystem that can cause denial-of-service conditions. When the kernel fails to properly handle out-of-memory (ENOMEM) errors during buffered read operations, it can lead to system instability or crashes. This affects all Linux systems using the vulnerable kernel versions.
💻 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic or system crash leading to complete denial-of-service, potentially requiring physical reboot of affected systems.
Likely Case
System instability, application crashes, or performance degradation when memory pressure triggers the vulnerable code path.
If Mitigated
Minor performance impact or failed read operations without system-wide disruption if proper memory limits and monitoring are in place.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires triggering specific memory allocation failures in the netfs subsystem, which may require local access and specific conditions.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patches available in stable kernel trees via commits 105549d09a539a876b7c3330ab52d8aceedad358 and 88ecdfea1b333de5c51442b45cd549eeadf01852
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/105549d09a539a876b7c3330ab52d8aceedad358
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update to a patched kernel version from your distribution's repositories. 2. For custom kernels, apply the git commits to your kernel source. 3. Recompile and install the updated kernel. 4. Reboot the system to load the patched kernel.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Memory pressure reduction
allReduce likelihood of triggering ENOMEM conditions by optimizing memory usage and monitoring
# Monitor memory usage: free -h
# Set memory limits: ulimit -v [LIMIT]
# Configure swap if not present
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict memory limits for user processes to reduce chance of triggering ENOMEM conditions
- Monitor system logs for memory allocation failures and implement automated alerting for memory pressure
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and compare against patched versions from your distribution. Vulnerable if using unpatched kernel with netfs support.Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version after update matches patched version from your distribution's security advisories.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages
- Out of memory (OOM) killer activity in /var/log/messages or dmesg
- System crash/reboot events
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local kernel vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("panic" OR "Oops" OR "BUG" OR "general protection fault")