CVE-2024-39490 ipv6: sr: fix missing sk_buff release in seg6_input_core
A memory leak in the Linux kernel's IPv6 Segment Routing input path allows attackers to cause a denial of service by exhausting system memory.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- Available
What is CVE-2024-39490?
CVE-2024-39490 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 10 Jul 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
ipv6: sr: fix missing sk_buff release in seg6_input_core
The seg6_input() function is responsible for adding the SRH into a packet, delegating the operation to the seg6_input_core(). This function uses the skb_cow_head() to ensure that there is sufficient headroom in the sk_buff for accommodating the link-layer header. In the event that the skb_cow_header() function fails, the seg6_input_core() catches the error but it does not release the sk_buff, which will result in a memory leak.
This issue was introduced in commit af3b5158b89d ("ipv6: sr: fix BUG due to headroom too small after SRH push") and persists even after commit 7a3f5b0de364 ("netfilter: add netfilter hooks to SRv6 data plane"), where the entire seg6_input() code was refactored to deal with netfilter hooks.
The proposed patch addresses the identified memory leak by requiring the seg6_input_core() function to release the sk_buff in the event that skb_cow_head() fails.
Weakness: CWE-401
Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-39490?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Linux kernel.
How do I fix CVE-2024-39490?
Apply the vendor's patch.
Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.
Is CVE-2024-39490 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-39490 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel
Sources
Also known as BELL-CVE-2024-39490, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-39490, GHSA-28xh-chph-8x29, ROOT-OS-DEBIAN-11-CVE-2024-39490, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-39490.