CVE-2024-58096
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a race condition vulnerability in the Linux kernel's ath11k WiFi driver when operating in monitor mode. The vulnerability occurs due to missing lock protection around shared ring buffer operations, which can lead to kernel warnings or potential system instability. Systems using affected WiFi hardware with monitor mode enabled are vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- Linux kernel with ath11k WiFi driver
📦 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 →⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Kernel panic or system crash leading to denial of service, potentially allowing privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities.
Likely Case
Kernel warning messages in system logs and potential performance degradation or instability in WiFi functionality.
If Mitigated
Minor performance impact from lock contention when monitor mode is active.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and monitor mode to be enabled. The vulnerability appears to be a race condition that primarily causes warnings rather than direct code execution.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Linux kernel versions containing commits 1d2178918efc928e11bed9631469ef79ff0a862a, 27ca8004ba93a0665faa6d477eaeb551e03de6c8, 63b7af49496d0e32f7a748b6af3361ec138b1bd3, or b85758e76b6452740fc2a08ced6759af64c0d59a
Vendor Advisory: https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/1d2178918efc928e11bed9631469ef79ff0a862a
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update Linux kernel to version containing the fix commits. 2. Reboot system to load new kernel. 3. Verify ath11k driver is using patched version.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable monitor mode
linuxPrevent the vulnerable code path by disabling monitor mode on affected WiFi interfaces
sudo iw dev wlan0 set monitor none
sudo ip link set wlan0 down
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable monitor mode on all WiFi interfaces using affected hardware
- Consider using alternative WiFi hardware or drivers if monitor mode functionality is required
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check kernel version and if monitor mode is enabled on ath11k interfaces: 'uname -r' and 'iwconfig | grep Mode'Check Version:
uname -rVerify Fix Applied:
Verify kernel version includes fix commits and monitor mode works without kernel warnings in dmesg📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel warnings mentioning 'ath11k_hal_srng_dst_peek' or 'ath11k_dp_rx_process_mon_status' in dmesg or syslog
Network Indicators:
- Unusual WiFi monitor mode activity on systems not expected to use it
SIEM Query:
source="kernel" AND ("ath11k_hal_srng" OR "ath11k_dp_rx_process_mon")