CVE-2024-47710 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel related to the sock_map functionality, specifically within the sock_hash_free() function. The issue arises when a map with a large number of buckets is destroyed, and the kernel fails to yield the CPU appropriately during this operation. The root cause is the absence of a conditional rescheduling call (cond_resched()) in sock_hash_free(), which can lead to soft lockups as reported by syzbot, an automated kernel fuzzing tool. A soft lockup occurs when a CPU is stuck in a non-preemptible state for an extended period, potentially causing system unresponsiveness or degraded performance. The vulnerability does not appear to be exploitable for remote code execution or privilege escalation but can impact system stability and availability, particularly under workloads that involve frequent creation and destruction of large socket maps. The fix involves adding a cond_resched() call to allow the kernel to yield the CPU when necessary, preventing prolonged CPU hogging during map destruction. The affected Linux kernel versions include several commits identified by their hashes, indicating that this issue is present in recent kernel builds prior to the patch. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The vulnerability primarily affects Linux-based systems that utilize the sock_map feature, which is common in networking and container environments.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-47710 centers on system availability and stability rather than direct data compromise. Organizations running Linux servers, especially those with high network throughput or container orchestration platforms (e.g., Kubernetes) that may use sock_map for socket management, could experience system slowdowns or temporary unresponsiveness due to soft lockups. This can affect critical infrastructure, cloud services, and enterprise applications relying on Linux servers. In sectors such as finance, telecommunications, healthcare, and government services, where uptime and reliability are paramount, such disruptions could lead to operational delays, degraded service quality, and potential financial losses. Although this vulnerability does not appear to allow privilege escalation or data breaches, the denial-of-service-like symptoms could be leveraged by attackers to cause disruption if combined with other attack vectors. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the widespread use of Linux in European IT environments means that unpatched systems remain vulnerable to stability issues.

European organizations should prioritize updating their Linux kernels to versions that include the patch for CVE-2024-47710. Since the fix involves a kernel code change, applying official kernel updates from trusted Linux distributions (e.g., Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, SUSE) is the most effective mitigation. For environments where immediate kernel upgrades are challenging, organizations can monitor system logs and kernel messages for signs of soft lockups related to sock_hash_free() and consider temporarily limiting workloads that heavily create and destroy large socket maps. Additionally, implementing kernel live patching solutions where supported can reduce downtime associated with patch deployment. Network and system administrators should also review their container and network socket configurations to minimize unnecessary socket map destruction. Maintaining robust monitoring and alerting for system responsiveness and CPU usage spikes can help detect early symptoms of this issue. Finally, organizations should stay informed about any emerging exploit developments related to this vulnerability.