# CVE-2024-50161: bpf: Check the remaining info_cnt before repeating btf fields

> A missing bounds check in the Linux kernel BPF subsystem allows an out-of-bounds array index, leading to a kernel crash and denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 7 Nov 2024
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2026
- **Also known as:** BELL-CVE-2024-50161, DEBIAN-CVE-2024-50161, GHSA-9wrc-jcvc-7hxx, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-50161

## What is CVE-2024-50161?

CVE-2024-50161 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 7 Nov 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:

bpf: Check the remaining info_cnt before repeating btf fields

When trying to repeat the btf fields for array of nested struct, it
doesn't check the remaining info_cnt. The following splat will be
reported when the value of ret * nelems is greater than BTF_FIELDS_MAX:

  ------------[ cut here ]------------
  UBSAN: array-index-out-of-bounds in ../kernel/bpf/btf.c:3951:49
  index 11 is out of range for type 'btf_field_info [11]'
  CPU: 6 UID: 0 PID: 411 Comm: test_progs ...... 6.11.0-rc4+ #1
  Tainted: [O]=OOT_MODULE
  Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS ...
  Call Trace:
   <TASK>
   dump_stack_lvl+0x57/0x70
   dump_stack+0x10/0x20
   ubsan_epilogue+0x9/0x40
   __ubsan_handle_out_of_bounds+0x6f/0x80
   ? kallsyms_lookup_name+0x48/0xb0
   btf_parse_fields+0x992/0xce0
   map_create+0x591/0x770
   __sys_bpf+0x229/0x2410
   __x64_sys_bpf+0x1f/0x30
   x64_sys_call+0x199/0x9f0
   do_syscall_64+0x3b/0xc0
   entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x4b/0x53
  RIP: 0033:0x7fea56f2cc5d
  ......
   </TASK>
  ---[ end trace ]---

Fix it by checking the remaining info_cnt in btf_repeat_fields() before
repeating the btf fields.

Weakness: CWE-129 (Improper Validation of Array Index)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-50161?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-50161?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2024-50161 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-50161 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-50161 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-50161 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 7 Nov 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-50161 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-50161/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-50161/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-50161
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-50161
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-50161

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-50161/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.