CVE-2024-50062 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically affecting the RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) RTRS (Reliable Transport Remote Service) server path establishment process. The vulnerability arises due to insufficient sanity checks during the path establishment phase between RTRS clients and servers. In this process, the RTRS client initiates and completes a number of connections (con_num), and once all connections are established, information is exchanged via the info_req message. The vulnerability occurs because the kernel does not adequately verify that all connections have been successfully established and that the RTRS server path state is CONNECTED before proceeding. This lack of validation can lead to a null pointer dereference, which is a type of memory error where the system attempts to access or manipulate memory through a pointer that is null or uninitialized. Such a dereference typically causes the affected system to crash or become unstable, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The patch for this vulnerability involves adding sanity checks to detect and abort the process in error scenarios to prevent the null pointer dereference from occurring. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and the vulnerability was published on October 21, 2024. The affected versions are identified by specific commit hashes, indicating that this issue is relevant to certain recent Linux kernel builds incorporating RDMA RTRS functionality. No CVSS score is provided for this vulnerability.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-50062 primarily revolves around potential denial of service conditions on Linux systems utilizing RDMA RTRS services. RDMA is commonly used in high-performance computing, data centers, and enterprise environments where low-latency and high-throughput networking is critical. Organizations relying on Linux servers with RDMA RTRS enabled could experience system crashes or service interruptions if this vulnerability is exploited, leading to downtime and potential disruption of critical applications or services. While this vulnerability does not directly expose confidential data or allow privilege escalation, the resulting instability could affect service availability and operational continuity. Given the widespread use of Linux in European data centers, cloud infrastructures, and enterprise environments, the vulnerability could impact sectors such as finance, telecommunications, research institutions, and government agencies that depend on stable and performant Linux-based RDMA deployments. However, since no exploits are known in the wild and exploitation requires triggering specific RDMA RTRS path establishment sequences, the immediate risk is moderate but should not be underestimated in environments where RDMA is in active use.

European organizations should prioritize applying the official Linux kernel patches that address CVE-2024-50062 as soon as they become available. Until patches are deployed, organizations should audit their Linux systems to identify those running RDMA RTRS services and assess whether these services are exposed or critical to operations. If possible, temporarily disable or restrict RDMA RTRS functionality to trusted networks or hosts to reduce exposure. Network segmentation and strict access controls should be enforced to limit who can initiate RTRS path establishment requests. Monitoring and logging of RDMA RTRS connection attempts should be enhanced to detect abnormal or repeated connection failures that could indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should integrate this vulnerability into their vulnerability management and incident response processes, ensuring rapid response if signs of exploitation emerge. Collaboration with Linux distribution vendors and timely updates from them will be essential to maintain security posture.