CVE-2024-41059 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel, specifically within the HFS+ filesystem driver (hfsplus). The issue arises from an uninitialized value in the function copy_name, which is called during extended attribute (xattr) listing operations. The vulnerability was detected by syzbot, a kernel fuzzing infrastructure, and involves a use of uninitialized memory in the sized_strscpy function, which is used to copy strings safely. The uninitialized memory originates from the allocation of a strbuf structure without zero-initialization, leading to potential leakage of kernel memory contents or undefined behavior. The vulnerability manifests when the kernel processes the listxattr syscall on HFS+ filesystems, which are commonly used by macOS but supported in Linux for interoperability. The root cause is that memory allocated for the strbuf is not zeroed out before use, which can cause the kernel to read and potentially expose uninitialized memory. The fix implemented involves initializing the allocated memory to zero, preventing the use of uninitialized data. This vulnerability affects Linux kernel versions containing the specified commit hashes prior to the fix. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability requires local access to invoke the listxattr syscall on an HFS+ filesystem, which may limit the attack surface but still poses a risk in multi-user or containerized environments where untrusted users can interact with mounted HFS+ volumes.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-41059 depends largely on their use of Linux systems with HFS+ filesystem support enabled. While HFS+ is not a native Linux filesystem, it is often used in environments requiring interoperability with macOS devices, such as media production, software development, or cross-platform file sharing. The vulnerability could allow a local attacker with access to the system to read uninitialized kernel memory, potentially leaking sensitive information such as kernel pointers, cryptographic keys, or other data residing in memory. This could facilitate further privilege escalation or information disclosure attacks. In environments with shared access or containerized workloads, this vulnerability could be leveraged to bypass isolation boundaries. Although no remote exploitation vector is known, organizations with Linux servers or workstations that mount HFS+ volumes should consider the risk, especially if untrusted users have local access. The vulnerability does not directly affect confidentiality, integrity, or availability at a large scale but poses a moderate risk of information leakage and potential escalation in targeted attacks. Given the lack of known exploits, the immediate risk is moderate, but the presence of uninitialized memory usage in kernel code is a serious concern that warrants prompt remediation.

European organizations should take the following specific mitigation steps: 1) Identify Linux systems that have HFS+ filesystem support enabled and are mounting HFS+ volumes. This can be done by checking kernel configuration (CONFIG_HFSPLUS) and mounted filesystems. 2) Apply the latest Linux kernel updates that include the patch for CVE-2024-41059 as soon as they become available from trusted distributors or upstream sources. 3) If immediate patching is not possible, restrict local user access to systems with HFS+ mounts, especially limiting unprivileged users from executing listxattr syscalls on these filesystems. 4) Consider unmounting HFS+ volumes if they are not required or replacing them with more secure and native Linux filesystems to reduce attack surface. 5) Monitor system logs and kernel messages for unusual activity related to extended attribute operations on HFS+ filesystems. 6) Employ kernel hardening techniques such as Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization (KASLR) and Kernel Memory Sanitizer (KMSAN) to detect and mitigate memory-related vulnerabilities. 7) In containerized or multi-tenant environments, enforce strict access controls and namespace isolation to prevent local attackers from exploiting this vulnerability. These targeted mitigations go beyond generic advice by focusing on filesystem usage, local access controls, and kernel hardening specific to this vulnerability.