CVE-2024-35910·Kernel vulnerability
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: tcp: properly terminate timers for kernel sockets We had various syzbot reports about tcp timers firing after the corresponding netns has been dismantled. Fortunately Josef Bacik could trigger the issue more often, and could test a patch I wrote two years ago. When TCP sockets are closed, we call inet_csk_clear_xmit_timers() to 'stop' the timers. inet_csk_clear_xmit_timers() can be called from any context, including when socket lock is held. This is the reason it uses sk_stop_timer(), aka del_timer(). This means that ongoing timers might finish much later. For user sockets, this is fine because each running timer holds a reference on the socket, and the user socket holds a reference on the netns. For kernel sockets, we risk that the netns is freed before timer can complete, because kernel sockets do not hold reference on the netns. This patch adds inet_csk_clear_xmit_timers_sync() function that using sk_stop_timer_sync() to make sure all timers are terminated before the kernel socket is released. Modules using kernel sockets close them in their netns exit() handler. Also add sock_not_owned_by_me() helper to get LOCKDEP support : inet_csk_clear_xmit_timers_sync() must not be called while socket lock is held. It is very possible we can revert in the future commit 3a58f13a881e ("net: rds: acquire refcount on TCP sockets") which attempted to solve the issue in rds only. (net/smc/af_smc.c and net/mptcp/subflow.c have similar code) We probably can remove the check_net() tests from tcp_out_of_resources() and __tcp_close() in the future.
- Severity
- medium
- Software
- Kernel
- Fixed in
- 6.8.5
- Published
- 2024-05-19
Affected versions
From: 6.7
Until: 6.8.5
Fixed in: 6.8.5
How to fix this CVE
Update your Linux kernel to version 6.8.5 or later to resolve a timer management issue in kernel sockets that could cause system instability when network namespaces are torn down. This fix ensures TCP timers are properly synchronized and terminated before kernel socket cleanup, preventing potential use-after-free conditions. Apply security updates through your distribution's package manager as soon as possible.
sudo dnf update kernel kernel-develDefensia detects this vulnerability
How to check if you are affected
- Run 'uname -r' to check your current kernel version and confirm if it falls in the 6.7.x to 6.8.4 range
- Execute 'cat /proc/version' to obtain detailed kernel version and compilation details
- Check for kernel panic logs using 'journalctl -xb | grep -i 'timer\|netns\|tcp' to identify timer-related failures
- Verify the patch was applied by running 'git log --oneline | grep -i 'tcp.*timer' in the kernel source directory, or confirm kernel version is 6.8.5 or higher with 'uname -r'
FAQ
What is CVE-2024-35910?
CVE-2024-35910 is a kernel vulnerability affecting TCP timer management in kernel sockets. When network namespaces are destroyed, TCP timers can continue executing after their parent namespace is freed, potentially causing memory corruption or system crashes due to improper timer synchronization.
Is CVE-2024-35910 being actively exploited?
No, there are no reports of active exploitation or public exploit code for CVE-2024-35910. However, the vulnerability can be reliably triggered under specific conditions, making the patch important for production systems.
What versions of Kernel are affected by CVE-2024-35910?
Linux kernel versions 6.7.0 through 6.8.4 are affected. Kernel 6.8.5 and later versions contain the fix.
How do I check if my server is vulnerable to CVE-2024-35910?
Run 'uname -r' and compare the output against version 6.8.5. If your kernel version is between 6.7.0 and 6.8.4 inclusive, your system is vulnerable.
Does Defensia detect CVE-2024-35910?
Yes — Defensia's CVE advisory scanner compares installed package versions against the NVD database. If the Linux kernel is installed on a monitored server, CVE-2024-35910 will appear in your dashboard with remediation steps.
Related Kernel CVEs
References
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/151c9c724d05d5b0dd8acd3e11cb69ef1f2dbada
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/2e43d8eba6edd1cf05a3a20fdd77688fa7ec16a4
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/44e62f5d35678686734afd47c6a421ad30772e7f
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/899265c1389fe022802aae73dbf13ee08837a35a
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/91b243de910a9ac8476d40238ab3dbfeedd5b7de
Track CVEs across your fleet automatically
Defensia scans your Linux servers and tells you exactly which ones are running vulnerable versions — including CVE-2024-35910. Free for 1 server.
Get started free