CVE-2024-49851 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's Trusted Platform Module (TPM) interface. The TPM is a hardware-based security component used for cryptographic operations and secure storage, critical for system integrity and trusted computing. The vulnerability arises in the tpm_dev_transmit function, which prepares the TPM command space before transmitting commands to the TPM device. If a command transmission fails, the function does not properly rollback or clean up the prepared TPM space. This results in transient TPM handles being leaked when the device is closed without further commands being executed. Such leaked handles could potentially lead to resource exhaustion or inconsistent TPM state, which might be exploited to disrupt TPM operations or degrade system security. The patch for this vulnerability involves flushing the TPM space upon command transmission failure to prevent handle leakage. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the flaw represents a risk to the integrity and availability of TPM-based security functions on affected Linux systems. The affected versions are identified by a specific commit hash, indicating the vulnerability is present in certain Linux kernel builds prior to the fix. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, but the vulnerability impacts a core security component of Linux systems that are widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded devices.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could have significant implications, especially for those relying on Linux systems with TPM for secure boot, disk encryption, or cryptographic key management. TPM handle leakage may lead to degraded TPM functionality, potentially causing failures in security-critical operations or denial of service conditions. This could undermine the trustworthiness of security mechanisms, impacting confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, which often mandate TPM usage for compliance and security, may face increased risk of operational disruption or security policy violations. Although exploitation requires interaction with the TPM interface, the lack of proper cleanup could be leveraged by attackers with local access or through compromised applications to destabilize TPM operations. This may also affect cloud service providers and data centers in Europe that use Linux-based virtualization hosts or container platforms relying on TPM for attestation and security. The absence of known exploits suggests the threat is currently theoretical but warrants prompt remediation to maintain system trust and compliance with European cybersecurity standards such as NIS2 and GDPR requirements for data protection.

European organizations should prioritize updating their Linux kernels to versions that include the patch for CVE-2024-49851 as soon as it becomes available. Until patches are applied, administrators should audit and monitor TPM usage and logs for anomalies indicating handle leakage or TPM errors. Restricting access to TPM device interfaces to trusted users and processes can reduce the risk of exploitation. Implementing strict local access controls and employing security modules like SELinux or AppArmor to confine TPM-related processes can further mitigate risk. Organizations should also review their TPM-dependent security policies and validate the integrity of TPM operations post-update. For environments using virtualization or containers, ensure that host TPM passthrough or emulation layers are also updated. Regular vulnerability scanning and compliance checks should include verification of kernel versions and TPM firmware status. Finally, maintain incident response readiness to detect and respond to potential TPM-related disruptions.