CVE-2024-50254

bpf: Free dynamically allocated bits in bpf_iter_bits_destroy()

Published Nov 9, 2024 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

bpf: Free dynamically allocated bits in bpf_iter_bits_destroy()

bpf_iter_bits_destroy() uses "kit->nr_bits <= 64" to check whether the
bits are dynamically allocated. However, the check is incorrect and may
cause a kmemleak as shown below:

unreferenced object 0xffff88812628c8c0 (size 32):
comm "swapper/0", pid 1, jiffies 4294727320
hex dump (first 32 bytes):
b0 c1 55 f5 81 88 ff ff f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 ..U...........
f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ..............
backtrace (crc 781e32cc):
[<00000000c452b4ab>] kmemleak_alloc+0x4b/0x80
[<0000000004e09f80>] __kmalloc_node_noprof+0x480/0x5c0
[<00000000597124d6>] __alloc.isra.0+0x89/0xb0
[<000000004ebfffcd>] alloc_bulk+0x2af/0x720
[<00000000d9c10145>] prefill_mem_cache+0x7f/0xb0
[<00000000ff9738ff>] bpf_mem_alloc_init+0x3e2/0x610
[<000000008b616eac>] bpf_global_ma_init+0x19/0x30
[<00000000fc473efc>] do_one_initcall+0xd3/0x3c0
[<00000000ec81498c>] kernel_init_freeable+0x66a/0x940
[<00000000b119f72f>] kernel_init+0x20/0x160
[<00000000f11ac9a7>] ret_from_fork+0x3c/0x70
[<0000000004671da4>] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30

That is because nr_bits will be set as zero in bpf_iter_bits_next()
after all bits have been iterated.

Fix the issue by setting kit->bit to kit->nr_bits instead of setting
kit->nr_bits to zero when the iteration completes in
bpf_iter_bits_next(). In addition, use "!nr_bits || bits >= nr_bits" to
check whether the iteration is complete and still use "nr_bits > 64" to
indicate whether bits are dynamically allocated. The "!nr_bits" check is
necessary because bpf_iter_bits_new() may fail before setting
kit->nr_bits, and this condition will stop the iteration early instead
of accessing the zeroed or freed kit->bits.

Considering the initial value of kit->bits is -1 and the type of
kit->nr_bits is unsigned int, change the type of kit->nr_bits to int.
The potential overflow problem will be handled in the following patch.

Analysis

No analysis available yet

Remediation

No remediation available yet

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7276-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7277-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7310-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.00028}

epss

{'score': 0.00029}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Weaknesses CWE-401
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Free dynamically allocated bits in bpf_iter_bits_destroy() bpf_iter_bits_destroy() uses "kit->nr_bits <= 64" to check whether the bits are dynamically allocated. However, the check is incorrect and may cause a kmemleak as shown below: unreferenced object 0xffff88812628c8c0 (size 32): comm "swapper/0", pid 1, jiffies 4294727320 hex dump (first 32 bytes): b0 c1 55 f5 81 88 ff ff f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 ..U........... f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 f0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 .............. backtrace (crc 781e32cc): [<00000000c452b4ab>] kmemleak_alloc+0x4b/0x80 [<0000000004e09f80>] __kmalloc_node_noprof+0x480/0x5c0 [<00000000597124d6>] __alloc.isra.0+0x89/0xb0 [<000000004ebfffcd>] alloc_bulk+0x2af/0x720 [<00000000d9c10145>] prefill_mem_cache+0x7f/0xb0 [<00000000ff9738ff>] bpf_mem_alloc_init+0x3e2/0x610 [<000000008b616eac>] bpf_global_ma_init+0x19/0x30 [<00000000fc473efc>] do_one_initcall+0xd3/0x3c0 [<00000000ec81498c>] kernel_init_freeable+0x66a/0x940 [<00000000b119f72f>] kernel_init+0x20/0x160 [<00000000f11ac9a7>] ret_from_fork+0x3c/0x70 [<0000000004671da4>] ret_from_fork_asm+0x1a/0x30 That is because nr_bits will be set as zero in bpf_iter_bits_next() after all bits have been iterated. Fix the issue by setting kit->bit to kit->nr_bits instead of setting kit->nr_bits to zero when the iteration completes in bpf_iter_bits_next(). In addition, use "!nr_bits || bits >= nr_bits" to check whether the iteration is complete and still use "nr_bits > 64" to indicate whether bits are dynamically allocated. The "!nr_bits" check is necessary because bpf_iter_bits_new() may fail before setting kit->nr_bits, and this condition will stop the iteration early instead of accessing the zeroed or freed kit->bits. Considering the initial value of kit->bits is -1 and the type of kit->nr_bits is unsigned int, change the type of kit->nr_bits to int. The potential overflow problem will be handled in the following patch.
Title bpf: Free dynamically allocated bits in bpf_iter_bits_destroy()
References
Weaknesses
  • CWE-401

    Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
May 11, 2026, 8:48 PM
Reserved
Oct 21, 2024, 7:36 PM
Status
Modified
Published
Nov 9, 2024, 11:15 AM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 8:04 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Nov 9, 2024, 12:00 AM