CVE-2024-56748 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically within the SCSI qedf driver component. The issue stems from a potential memory leak in the function qedf_alloc_and_init_sb(). The root cause is that the hook function qed_ops->common->sb_init, which is assigned to qed_sb_init, fails to release DMA (Direct Memory Access) memory (sb_virt) when an initialization failure occurs. This failure to free allocated DMA memory leads to a memory leak. The fix involves adding a call to dma_free_coherent() to properly release the DMA memory in failure scenarios, aligning with the behavior seen in similar functions such as qedr_alloc_mem_sb() and qede_alloc_mem_sb(). The vulnerability is classified under CWE-401 (Improper Release of Memory Before Removing Last Reference or Memory Leak). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.3, indicating a low severity level. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and impacts availability only (A:L) without affecting confidentiality or integrity. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date (December 29, 2024). The affected versions are identified by specific Linux kernel commit hashes, indicating that this issue is relevant to certain recent kernel builds that include the vulnerable qedf driver code. Overall, this vulnerability is a resource management flaw that could cause gradual degradation of system availability due to memory exhaustion if triggered repeatedly, but it does not directly enable code execution or data compromise.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-56748 is primarily related to system stability and availability rather than confidentiality or integrity. Organizations running Linux servers or infrastructure that utilize the qedf SCSI driver—commonly found in environments with QLogic Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) hardware—may experience memory leaks leading to degraded performance or potential system crashes over time. This could affect data centers, cloud providers, and enterprises relying on Linux-based storage or network-attached storage solutions. While the vulnerability requires local access and low privileges, it could be exploited by malicious insiders or attackers who have gained limited access to the system to cause denial-of-service conditions. For critical infrastructure or services with high availability requirements, such as financial institutions, healthcare providers, and telecommunications companies in Europe, even low-severity memory leaks can translate into operational disruptions if not addressed. However, the lack of known exploits and the low CVSS score suggest the immediate risk is limited, but patching remains important to maintain system reliability and prevent potential escalation.

To mitigate CVE-2024-56748, European organizations should: 1) Apply the latest Linux kernel patches that include the fix for this memory leak, ensuring that the qedf driver is updated to versions where dma_free_coherent() is correctly called on failure paths. 2) Monitor system logs and memory usage on servers utilizing the qedf driver to detect abnormal memory consumption patterns indicative of leaks. 3) Limit local access to systems running vulnerable kernels by enforcing strict access controls and using multi-factor authentication to reduce the risk of exploitation by low-privilege users. 4) Implement proactive system health checks and automated reboots or memory cleanup procedures in environments where uptime is critical and patching windows are limited. 5) Coordinate with hardware vendors to verify compatibility and support for updated kernel versions, especially in storage and networking hardware reliant on the qedf driver. 6) Incorporate this vulnerability into vulnerability management and patch management workflows to ensure timely remediation and compliance with security policies.