CVE-2024-57908 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel's Industrial I/O (IIO) subsystem, specifically within the driver for the KMX61 inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor. The flaw arises from improper initialization of a local buffer array used to transfer sensor data from kernel space to user space when using triggered buffers. The buffer array is intended to hold data for active sensor channels only, but it is not zero-initialized before use. Consequently, inactive channels may contain uninitialized memory values, leading to an information leak where potentially sensitive kernel memory contents could be exposed to user space applications. The vulnerability is due to the use of the macro iio_for_each_active_channel() which iterates only over active channels, leaving other buffer elements uninitialized. The fix involves explicitly zero-initializing the buffer array before populating it with active channel data, preventing leakage of residual kernel memory. This vulnerability affects multiple versions of the Linux kernel source identified by the commit hash c3a23ecc0901f624b681bbfbc4829766c5aa3070. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The issue is a classic example of an information leak caused by uninitialized memory exposure in kernel-to-user data transfer mechanisms, which could be leveraged by local attackers or compromised applications to glean sensitive information from kernel memory space.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-57908 primarily concerns confidentiality breaches within systems running vulnerable Linux kernels with the affected IIO drivers enabled. Industrial, embedded, and IoT devices using the KMX61 IMU sensor or similar hardware relying on this driver could inadvertently expose kernel memory contents to user space processes. This could allow local attackers or malicious applications to extract sensitive information, potentially including cryptographic keys, passwords, or other privileged data residing in kernel memory. While the vulnerability does not directly enable privilege escalation or remote code execution, the leakage of sensitive kernel data can facilitate further attacks or lateral movement within networks. Organizations in sectors such as manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and critical infrastructure that deploy Linux-based embedded systems with sensor integrations are at higher risk. The vulnerability's impact on system integrity and availability is minimal; however, confidentiality compromise can undermine trust and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR. Since exploitation requires local access and interaction with the vulnerable driver, remote exploitation risk is low, but insider threats or compromised local accounts could leverage this flaw.

To mitigate CVE-2024-57908, European organizations should: 1) Apply the official Linux kernel patches that zero-initialize the buffer array in the KMX61 IIO driver as soon as they become available. 2) Audit and update all Linux-based embedded and industrial systems to ensure they run patched kernel versions, especially those integrating KMX61 or similar IMU sensors. 3) Restrict local user access to systems running vulnerable kernels by enforcing strict user privilege separation and minimizing the number of users with access to sensor interfaces. 4) Monitor and control the loading of kernel modules related to IIO devices to prevent unauthorized interaction with sensor drivers. 5) Employ runtime integrity monitoring and kernel memory protection mechanisms to detect anomalous access patterns or attempts to exploit information leaks. 6) For critical environments, consider disabling or isolating unused sensor drivers to reduce the attack surface. 7) Incorporate this vulnerability into vulnerability management and incident response workflows to ensure timely detection and remediation.