CVE-2024-47684: Vulnerability in Linux Linux

Severity: highType: vulnerabilityCVE-2024-47684

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: check skb is non-NULL in tcp_rto_delta_us() We have some machines running stock Ubuntu 20.04.6 which is their 5.4.0-174-generic kernel that are running ceph and recently hit a null ptr dereference in tcp_rearm_rto(). Initially hitting it from the TLP path, but then later we also saw it getting hit from the RACK case as well. Here are examples of the oops messages we saw in each of those cases: Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.780353] BUG: kernel NULL pointer dereference, address: 0000000000000020 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.787572] #PF: supervisor read access in kernel mode Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.792971] #PF: error_code(0x0000) - not-present page Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.798362] PGD 0 P4D 0 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.801164] Oops: 0000 [#1] SMP NOPTI Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.805091] CPU: 0 PID: 9180 Comm: msgr-worker-1 Tainted: G W 5.4.0-174-generic #193-Ubuntu Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.814996] Hardware name: Supermicro SMC 2x26 os-gen8 64C NVME-Y 256G/H12SSW-NTR, BIOS 2.5.V1.2U.NVMe.UEFI 05/09/2023 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.825952] RIP: 0010:tcp_rearm_rto+0xe4/0x160 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.830656] Code: 87 ca 04 00 00 00 5b 41 5c 41 5d 5d c3 c3 49 8b bc 24 40 06 00 00 eb 8d 48 bb cf f7 53 e3 a5 9b c4 20 4c 89 ef e8 0c fe 0e 00 <48> 8b 78 20 48 c1 ef 03 48 89 f8 41 8b bc 24 80 04 00 00 48 f7 e3 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.849665] RSP: 0018:ffffb75d40003e08 EFLAGS: 00010246 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.855149] RAX: 0000000000000000 RBX: 20c49ba5e353f7cf RCX: 0000000000000000 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.862542] RDX: 0000000062177c30 RSI: 000000000000231c RDI: ffff9874ad283a60 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.869933] RBP: ffffb75d40003e20 R08: 0000000000000000 R09: ffff987605e20aa8 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.877318] R10: ffffb75d40003f00 R11: ffffb75d4460f740 R12: ffff9874ad283900 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.884710] R13: ffff9874ad283a60 R14: ffff9874ad283980 R15: ffff9874ad283d30 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.892095] FS: 00007f1ef4a2e700(0000) GS:ffff987605e00000(0000) knlGS:0000000000000000 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.900438] CS: 0010 DS: 0000 ES: 0000 CR0: 0000000080050033 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.906435] CR2: 0000000000000020 CR3: 0000003e450ba003 CR4: 0000000000760ef0 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.913822] PKRU: 55555554 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.916786] Call Trace: Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.919488] Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.921765] ? show_regs.cold+0x1a/0x1f Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.925859] ? __die+0x90/0xd9 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.929169] ? no_context+0x196/0x380 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.933088] ? ip6_protocol_deliver_rcu+0x4e0/0x4e0 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.938216] ? ip6_sublist_rcv_finish+0x3d/0x50 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.943000] ? __bad_area_nosemaphore+0x50/0x1a0 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.947873] ? bad_area_nosemaphore+0x16/0x20 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.952486] ? do_user_addr_fault+0x267/0x450 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.957104] ? ipv6_list_rcv+0x112/0x140 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.961279] ? __do_page_fault+0x58/0x90 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.965458] ? do_page_fault+0x2c/0xe0 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.969465] ? page_fault+0x34/0x40 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.973217] ? tcp_rearm_rto+0xe4/0x160 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.977313] ? tcp_rearm_rto+0xe4/0x160 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.981408] tcp_send_loss_probe+0x10b/0x220 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.985937] tcp_write_timer_handler+0x1b4/0x240 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.990809] tcp_write_timer+0x9e/0xe0 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.994814] ? tcp_write_timer_handler+0x240/0x240 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061395.999866] call_timer_fn+0x32/0x130 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061396.003782] __run_timers.part.0+0x180/0x280 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061396.008309] ? recalibrate_cpu_khz+0x10/0x10 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061396.012841] ? native_x2apic_icr_write+0x30/0x30 Jul 26 15:05:02 rx [11061396.017718] ? lapic_next_even ---truncated---

AI Analysis

Technical Summary

CVE-2024-47684 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel affecting the TCP stack, specifically within the tcp_rearm_rto() function. The root cause is a missing null pointer check on the socket buffer (skb) in the tcp_rto_delta_us() function, which can lead to a NULL pointer dereference. This vulnerability manifests as a kernel oops or crash due to the kernel attempting to access memory at a null or invalid address, as demonstrated by the provided kernel logs showing a supervisor read access fault at address 0x20. The issue has been observed on Ubuntu 20.04.6 systems running the 5.4.0-174-generic kernel, particularly in environments utilizing Ceph storage clusters. The null pointer dereference occurs during TCP retransmission timeout (RTO) handling, affecting both the Tail Loss Probe (TLP) and Recent Acknowledgment (RACK) code paths. This vulnerability can cause system instability or denial of service (DoS) by crashing the kernel, leading to service interruptions. No evidence currently suggests remote code execution or privilege escalation, but the kernel crash itself is a significant availability impact. The vulnerability does not require user interaction or authentication to be triggered, as it arises from normal TCP retransmission timer operations. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, and no known exploits are reported in the wild. The patch involves adding a proper null check for skb in tcp_rto_delta_us() to prevent dereferencing null pointers.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-47684 can be substantial, especially for those running Linux-based infrastructure with kernels in the affected versions, such as Ubuntu 20.04 LTS with the 5.4.0-174-generic kernel. Organizations relying on Ceph storage clusters or other TCP-heavy network services may experience unexpected kernel crashes leading to system downtime and potential data availability issues. This can disrupt critical services, including cloud platforms, data centers, and enterprise storage solutions. The denial of service caused by kernel panics can affect business continuity and operational reliability. Since the vulnerability affects the core TCP stack, it can impact a wide range of networked applications and services. European sectors with high dependence on Linux servers, such as financial institutions, telecommunications, and public sector infrastructure, may face increased risk of service outages. Although no remote code execution or data breach is indicated, the availability impact alone can have severe operational and reputational consequences.

Mitigation Recommendations

1. Immediate application of kernel patches or updates from Linux distributions that address this vulnerability is critical. For Ubuntu 20.04.6 users, upgrading to a kernel version that includes the fix for CVE-2024-47684 is strongly recommended. 2. For environments where immediate patching is not feasible, consider isolating affected systems from untrusted networks to reduce exposure. 3. Implement robust monitoring of kernel logs and system stability to detect early signs of tcp_rearm_rto() related crashes. 4. In Ceph or similar storage clusters, ensure redundancy and failover mechanisms are in place to maintain availability during potential node crashes. 5. Regularly review and test disaster recovery and incident response plans to quickly recover from kernel panics or system reboots. 6. Engage with Linux vendor security advisories and subscribe to updates for timely information on patches and mitigation strategies. 7. For critical systems, consider kernel hardening techniques and runtime protections that can mitigate the impact of kernel faults.