CVE-2024-23851 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel, specifically in the device mapper ioctl handling code within the file drivers/md/dm-ioctl.c, up to and including version 6.7.1. The flaw arises in the function copy_params, which is responsible for copying parameters related to device mapper ioctl operations. The vulnerability is due to a missing validation check on the parameter param_kernel->data_size, which can lead to an attempt to allocate more than INT_MAX bytes of memory. This integer overflow or improper size validation can cause the kernel to crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The issue is linked to the ctl_ioctl interface, which is used for control operations on device mapper devices. The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality or integrity but affects availability by causing system crashes. Exploitation requires local access with at least low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction is needed, and the attack vector is local (AV:L). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5, categorizing it as a medium severity vulnerability. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, and no patches were linked in the provided data, though it is expected that kernel maintainers will address this issue in subsequent releases. The underlying weakness corresponds to CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound).

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily poses a risk to system availability. Linux is widely used in enterprise environments across Europe, including servers, cloud infrastructure, and embedded systems. Systems running affected kernel versions with device mapper functionality enabled could be susceptible to local denial of service attacks, potentially disrupting critical services or operations. This is particularly relevant for data centers, cloud providers, and organizations relying on Linux-based storage solutions. While the vulnerability requires local access and some privileges, insider threats or compromised accounts could exploit this to cause system instability or outages. The lack of impact on confidentiality or integrity limits the risk of data breaches, but availability disruptions could lead to operational downtime, financial losses, and reputational damage. Organizations with strict uptime requirements or those operating critical infrastructure should prioritize addressing this vulnerability to maintain service continuity.

To mitigate CVE-2024-23851, European organizations should: 1) Monitor for and apply Linux kernel updates promptly once patches addressing this vulnerability are released by the kernel maintainers or their Linux distribution vendors. 2) Restrict local access to systems running vulnerable kernel versions by enforcing strict access controls, minimizing the number of users with privileges to invoke device mapper ioctl operations. 3) Employ kernel hardening techniques such as SELinux or AppArmor policies to limit the ability of processes to perform ioctl calls on device mapper interfaces. 4) Implement robust monitoring and alerting for unusual kernel crashes or device mapper ioctl activity to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 5) For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, consider disabling or restricting device mapper functionality if it is not essential to operations, thereby reducing the attack surface. 6) Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability assessments to ensure no systems remain unpatched or exposed. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local access, monitoring specific kernel interfaces, and leveraging kernel security frameworks.