CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2024-26599NVD status: Modified

Linux: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2024-26599 is a high-severity improper restriction of operations within the bounds of a memory buffer vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 7b85554c7c2aee91171e038e4d5442ffa130b282, e5f2b4b62977fb6c2efcbc5779e0c9dce18215f7, bae45b7ebb31984b63b13c3519fd724b3ce92123 as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.25% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 7b85554c7c2aee91171e038e4d5442ffa130b282 or e5f2b4b62977fb6c2efcbc5779e0c9dce18215f7 or bae45b7ebb31984b63b13c3519fd724b3ce92123 or a297d07b9a1e4fb8cda25a4a2363a507d294b7c9, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 6.1.75 or 6.6.14 or 6.7.2, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinux3ab7b6ac5d829e60c3b89d415811ff1c9f358c8e up to, but not including, 7b85554c7c2aee91171e038e4d5442ffa130b282; 3ab7b6ac5d829e60c3b89d415811ff1c9f358c8e up to, but not including, e5f2b4b62977fb6c2efcbc5779e0c9dce18215f7; 3ab7b6ac5d829e60c3b89d415811ff1c9f358c8e up to, but not including, bae45b7ebb31984b63b13c3519fd724b3ce92123; 3ab7b6ac5d829e60c3b89d415811ff1c9f358c8e up to, but not including, a297d07b9a1e4fb8cda25a4a2363a507d294b7c9; 5.177b85554c7c2aee91171e038e4d5442ffa130b282, e5f2b4b62977fb6c2efcbc5779e0c9dce18215f7, bae45b7ebb31984b63b13c3519fd724b3ce92123, a297d07b9a1e4fb8cda25a4a2363a507d294b7c9
LinuxLinux Kernel5.17 up to, but not including, 6.1.75; 6.2.0 up to, but not including, 6.6.14; 6.7.0 up to, but not including, 6.7.26.1.75, 6.6.14, 6.7.2

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: pwm: Fix out-of-bounds access in of_pwm_single_xlate() With args->args_count == 2 args->args[2] is not defined. Actually the flags are contained in args->args[1].

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

The product performs operations on a memory buffer, but it reads from or writes to a memory location outside the buffer's intended boundary.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.

More Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerabilities (CWE-119)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer vulnerabilities

Spotted an error? Tell us.