// For flags

CVE-2024-43837

bpf: Fix null pointer dereference in resolve_prog_type() for BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT

Severity Score

5.5
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

Track
*SSVC
Descriptions

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix null pointer dereference in resolve_prog_type() for BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT When loading a EXT program without specifying `attr->attach_prog_fd`,
the `prog->aux->dst_prog` will be null. At this time, calling
resolve_prog_type() anywhere will result in a null pointer dereference. Example stack trace: [ 8.107863] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000004
[ 8.108262] Mem abort info:
[ 8.108384] ESR = 0x0000000096000004
[ 8.108547] EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits
[ 8.108722] SET = 0, FnV = 0
[ 8.108827] EA = 0, S1PTW = 0
[ 8.108939] FSC = 0x04: level 0 translation fault
[ 8.109102] Data abort info:
[ 8.109203] ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000004, ISS2 = 0x00000000
[ 8.109399] CM = 0, WnR = 0, TnD = 0, TagAccess = 0
[ 8.109614] GCS = 0, Overlay = 0, DirtyBit = 0, Xs = 0
[ 8.109836] user pgtable: 4k pages, 48-bit VAs, pgdp=0000000101354000
[ 8.110011] [0000000000000004] pgd=0000000000000000, p4d=0000000000000000
[ 8.112624] Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000004 [#1] PREEMPT SMP
[ 8.112783] Modules linked in:
[ 8.113120] CPU: 0 PID: 99 Comm: may_access_dire Not tainted 6.10.0-rc3-next-20240613-dirty #1
[ 8.113230] Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT)
[ 8.113390] pstate: 60000005 (nZCv daif -PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--)
[ 8.113429] pc : may_access_direct_pkt_data+0x24/0xa0
[ 8.113746] lr : add_subprog_and_kfunc+0x634/0x8e8
[ 8.113798] sp : ffff80008283b9f0
[ 8.113813] x29: ffff80008283b9f0 x28: ffff800082795048 x27: 0000000000000001
[ 8.113881] x26: ffff0000c0bb2600 x25: 0000000000000000 x24: 0000000000000000
[ 8.113897] x23: ffff0000c1134000 x22: 000000000001864f x21: ffff0000c1138000
[ 8.113912] x20: 0000000000000001 x19: ffff0000c12b8000 x18: ffffffffffffffff
[ 8.113929] x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 0720072007200720
[ 8.113944] x14: 0720072007200720 x13: 0720072007200720 x12: 0720072007200720
[ 8.113958] x11: 0720072007200720 x10: 0000000000f9fca4 x9 : ffff80008021f4e4
[ 8.113991] x8 : 0101010101010101 x7 : 746f72705f6d656d x6 : 000000001e0e0f5f
[ 8.114006] x5 : 000000000001864f x4 : ffff0000c12b8000 x3 : 000000000000001c
[ 8.114020] x2 : 0000000000000002 x1 : 0000000000000000 x0 : 0000000000000000
[ 8.114126] Call trace:
[ 8.114159] may_access_direct_pkt_data+0x24/0xa0
[ 8.114202] bpf_check+0x3bc/0x28c0
[ 8.114214] bpf_prog_load+0x658/0xa58
[ 8.114227] __sys_bpf+0xc50/0x2250
[ 8.114240] __arm64_sys_bpf+0x28/0x40
[ 8.114254] invoke_syscall.constprop.0+0x54/0xf0
[ 8.114273] do_el0_svc+0x4c/0xd8
[ 8.114289] el0_svc+0x3c/0x140
[ 8.114305] el0t_64_sync_handler+0x134/0x150
[ 8.114331] el0t_64_sync+0x168/0x170
[ 8.114477] Code: 7100707f 54000081 f9401c00 f9403800 (b9400403)
[ 8.118672] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- One way to fix it is by forcing `attach_prog_fd` non-empty when
bpf_prog_load(). But this will lead to `libbpf_probe_bpf_prog_type`
API broken which use verifier log to probe prog type and will log
nothing if we reject invalid EXT prog before bpf_check(). Another way is by adding null check in resolve_prog_type(). The issue was introduced by commit 4a9c7bbe2ed4 ("bpf: Resolve to
prog->aux->dst_prog->type only for BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT") which wanted
to correct type resolution for BPF_PROG_TYPE_TRACING programs. Before
that, the type resolution of BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT prog actually follows
the logic below: prog->aux->dst_prog ? prog->aux->dst_prog->type : prog->type; It implies that when EXT program is not yet attached to `dst_prog`,
the prog type should be EXT itself. This code worked fine in the past.
So just keep using it. Fix this by returning `prog->type` for BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT if `dst_prog`
is not present in resolve_prog_type().

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Fix null pointer dereference in resolve_prog_type() for BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT When loading a EXT program without specifying `attr->attach_prog_fd`, the `prog->aux->dst_prog` will be null. At this time, calling resolve_prog_type() anywhere will result in a null pointer dereference. Example stack trace: [ 8.107863] Unable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 0000000000000004 [ 8.108262] Mem abort info: [ 8.108384] ESR = 0x0000000096000004 [ 8.108547] EC = 0x25: DABT (current EL), IL = 32 bits [ 8.108722] SET = 0, FnV = 0 [ 8.108827] EA = 0, S1PTW = 0 [ 8.108939] FSC = 0x04: level 0 translation fault [ 8.109102] Data abort info: [ 8.109203] ISV = 0, ISS = 0x00000004, ISS2 = 0x00000000 [ 8.109399] CM = 0, WnR = 0, TnD = 0, TagAccess = 0 [ 8.109614] GCS = 0, Overlay = 0, DirtyBit = 0, Xs = 0 [ 8.109836] user pgtable: 4k pages, 48-bit VAs, pgdp=0000000101354000 [ 8.110011] [0000000000000004] pgd=0000000000000000, p4d=0000000000000000 [ 8.112624] Internal error: Oops: 0000000096000004 [#1] PREEMPT SMP [ 8.112783] Modules linked in: [ 8.113120] CPU: 0 PID: 99 Comm: may_access_dire Not tainted 6.10.0-rc3-next-20240613-dirty #1 [ 8.113230] Hardware name: linux,dummy-virt (DT) [ 8.113390] pstate: 60000005 (nZCv daif -PAN -UAO -TCO -DIT -SSBS BTYPE=--) [ 8.113429] pc : may_access_direct_pkt_data+0x24/0xa0 [ 8.113746] lr : add_subprog_and_kfunc+0x634/0x8e8 [ 8.113798] sp : ffff80008283b9f0 [ 8.113813] x29: ffff80008283b9f0 x28: ffff800082795048 x27: 0000000000000001 [ 8.113881] x26: ffff0000c0bb2600 x25: 0000000000000000 x24: 0000000000000000 [ 8.113897] x23: ffff0000c1134000 x22: 000000000001864f x21: ffff0000c1138000 [ 8.113912] x20: 0000000000000001 x19: ffff0000c12b8000 x18: ffffffffffffffff [ 8.113929] x17: 0000000000000000 x16: 0000000000000000 x15: 0720072007200720 [ 8.113944] x14: 0720072007200720 x13: 0720072007200720 x12: 0720072007200720 [ 8.113958] x11: 0720072007200720 x10: 0000000000f9fca4 x9 : ffff80008021f4e4 [ 8.113991] x8 : 0101010101010101 x7 : 746f72705f6d656d x6 : 000000001e0e0f5f [ 8.114006] x5 : 000000000001864f x4 : ffff0000c12b8000 x3 : 000000000000001c [ 8.114020] x2 : 0000000000000002 x1 : 0000000000000000 x0 : 0000000000000000 [ 8.114126] Call trace: [ 8.114159] may_access_direct_pkt_data+0x24/0xa0 [ 8.114202] bpf_check+0x3bc/0x28c0 [ 8.114214] bpf_prog_load+0x658/0xa58 [ 8.114227] __sys_bpf+0xc50/0x2250 [ 8.114240] __arm64_sys_bpf+0x28/0x40 [ 8.114254] invoke_syscall.constprop.0+0x54/0xf0 [ 8.114273] do_el0_svc+0x4c/0xd8 [ 8.114289] el0_svc+0x3c/0x140 [ 8.114305] el0t_64_sync_handler+0x134/0x150 [ 8.114331] el0t_64_sync+0x168/0x170 [ 8.114477] Code: 7100707f 54000081 f9401c00 f9403800 (b9400403) [ 8.118672] ---[ end trace 0000000000000000 ]--- One way to fix it is by forcing `attach_prog_fd` non-empty when bpf_prog_load(). But this will lead to `libbpf_probe_bpf_prog_type` API broken which use verifier log to probe prog type and will log nothing if we reject invalid EXT prog before bpf_check(). Another way is by adding null check in resolve_prog_type(). The issue was introduced by commit 4a9c7bbe2ed4 ("bpf: Resolve to prog->aux->dst_prog->type only for BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT") which wanted to correct type resolution for BPF_PROG_TYPE_TRACING programs. Before that, the type resolution of BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT prog actually follows the logic below: prog->aux->dst_prog ? prog->aux->dst_prog->type : prog->type; It implies that when EXT program is not yet attached to `dst_prog`, the prog type should be EXT itself. This code worked fine in the past. So just keep using it. Fix this by returning `prog->type` for BPF_PROG_TYPE_EXT if `dst_prog` is not present in resolve_prog_type().

Several security issues were discovered in the Linux kernel. An attacker could possibly use these to compromise the system.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
Single
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:Track
Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Tech. Impact
Partial
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2024-08-17 CVE Reserved
  • 2024-08-17 CVE Published
  • 2024-12-19 CVE Updated
  • 2025-03-18 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 5.18 < 6.1.103
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.18 < 6.1.103"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 5.18 < 6.6.44
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.18 < 6.6.44"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 5.18 < 6.10.3
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.18 < 6.10.3"
en
Affected
Linux
Search vendor "Linux"
Linux Kernel
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel"
>= 5.18 < 6.11
Search vendor "Linux" for product "Linux Kernel" and version " >= 5.18 < 6.11"
en
Affected