# CVE-2024-8178: Multiple issues in ctl(4) CAM Target Layer

> Uninitialized memory in FreeBSD's CAM Target Layer allows guest VMs or remote iSCSI initiators to achieve code execution on the host.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Sep 2024
- **Updated:** 4 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9qxr-9qr6-7x7w

## What is CVE-2024-8178?

CVE-2024-8178 is a critical vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 5 Sep 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The ctl_write_buffer and ctl_read_buffer functions allocated memory to be returned to userspace, without initializing it.

Malicious software running in a guest VM that exposes virtio_scsi can exploit the vulnerabilities to achieve code execution on the host in the bhyve userspace process, which typically runs as root.  Note that bhyve runs in a Capsicum sandbox, so malicious code is constrained by the capabilities available to the bhyve process.  A malicious iSCSI initiator could achieve remote code execution on the iSCSI target host.

Weakness: CWE-909 (Missing Initialization of Resource), CWE-908 (Use of Uninitialized Resource)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-8178?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Freebsd Freebsd.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-8178?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-8178 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-8178 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-8178 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Freebsd Freebsd

- [CVE-2018-17160](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17160/): Memory corruption in FreeBSD (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2014-3954](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3954/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-4304](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-4304/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-0226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-0226/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0002/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-8178 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-8178 is a critical vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 5 Sep 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-2024-8178 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Freebsd Freebsd. 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-2024-8178/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8178/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-8178
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-8178
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-8178

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-8178/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.