CVE-2024-26651 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 03/27/2024
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
sr9800: Add check for usbnet_get_endpoints
Add check for usbnet_get_endpoints() and return the error if it fails in order to transfer the error.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-26651 resides within the Linux kernel's usbnet subsystem, specifically affecting the sr9800 driver implementation. This issue represents a critical oversight in error handling mechanisms that could potentially lead to system instability or unexpected behavior when processing USB network devices. The vulnerability manifests in the sr9800 driver's failure to properly validate the results of the usbnet_get_endpoints() function call, creating a scenario where errors during endpoint discovery are silently ignored rather than appropriately propagated to the calling function.
The technical flaw stems from the absence of error validation in the sr9800 driver's implementation of the usbnet_get_endpoints() function. When this function encounters issues during endpoint enumeration or configuration, it returns an error code indicating the failure, but the sr9800 driver does not check for this return value. This design flaw creates a path where the driver continues execution as if the endpoint configuration succeeded, even when underlying USB communication endpoints have not been properly established. According to CWE-703, this represents a failure to handle errors properly, specifically categorized under improper handling of exceptional conditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple error propagation, potentially affecting system stability and network connectivity. When the usbnet_get_endpoints() function fails during device initialization, the driver should abort the operation and notify the system of the failure. However, without proper error checking, the driver may proceed with incomplete or invalid endpoint configurations, leading to potential data corruption, network interface instability, or complete failure of USB network device functionality. This behavior aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.001 which involves the manipulation of network infrastructure components to cause service disruption.
The resolution for this vulnerability requires implementing proper error checking mechanisms within the sr9800 driver's codebase. The fix involves adding explicit validation of the usbnet_get_endpoints() return value and ensuring that any non-zero error codes are properly propagated back to the calling functions. This approach ensures that when USB endpoint discovery fails, the driver correctly terminates the initialization process rather than continuing with potentially malformed configuration data. The solution directly addresses the fundamental issue of error handling in kernel space drivers, where proper error propagation is essential for maintaining system integrity and preventing cascading failures that could affect other kernel components or user-space applications relying on stable USB network interfaces.