CVE-2024-42156 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2024
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
s390/pkey: Wipe copies of clear-key structures on failure
Wipe all sensitive data from stack for all IOCTLs, which convert a clear-key into a protected- or secure-key.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-42156 resides within the Linux kernel's s390 architecture support, specifically addressing a critical flaw in how key management operations handle sensitive cryptographic data. This issue affects systems utilizing the IBM System/390 (s390) architecture where cryptographic key operations are performed through ioctl system calls. The vulnerability represents a failure to properly sanitize memory regions containing sensitive key material, creating potential exposure pathways for attackers who might exploit this weakness to extract confidential information.
The technical flaw manifests in the kernel's handling of clear-key to protected-key or secure-key conversion operations through ioctl interfaces. When these operations fail or encounter errors, the system does not adequately wipe sensitive data from stack memory regions that may contain copies of clear-key structures. This memory sanitization failure creates a persistent exposure of cryptographic key material that could be accessed by malicious processes or exploited through side-channel attacks. The vulnerability specifically impacts the s390 architecture's cryptographic subsystem where key management operations are performed, making it particularly relevant for enterprise systems running on IBM mainframe hardware or virtualized environments utilizing s390 architecture support.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential attack vectors for privilege escalation and data compromise within systems that rely on cryptographic key protection mechanisms. Attackers could potentially leverage this weakness to extract clear-key data from memory locations where failed key conversion operations left sensitive information accessible. The vulnerability affects the integrity of cryptographic operations by failing to maintain proper memory sanitization practices during error conditions, which could enable attackers to reconstruct cryptographic keys or access protected data through memory analysis techniques. Systems utilizing the s390 architecture with cryptographic key management capabilities are particularly at risk, as the vulnerability directly impacts the security of key storage and handling processes.
The resolution for CVE-2024-42156 addresses this issue by implementing proper memory wiping procedures for all ioctl operations that convert clear-keys into protected or secure-key formats. This fix ensures that sensitive data is completely removed from stack memory regions regardless of whether the key conversion operation succeeds or fails. The mitigation strategy follows established security practices for handling sensitive data in memory, aligning with industry standards for cryptographic key management and memory sanitization. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory handling in cryptographic systems and the potential security implications when error conditions are not properly managed. The fix represents a defensive programming approach that prevents information leakage through memory remnants, which aligns with the principle of least privilege and data protection in secure system design.
This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-312 (Sensitive Data Exposure) within the Common Weakness Enumeration framework, highlighting the information disclosure aspects of the flaw. The attack surface for this vulnerability aligns with the ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Unsecured Credentials) and T1005 (Data from Local System), as it enables unauthorized access to cryptographic key material through memory-based attacks. The resolution addresses these security concerns by ensuring proper memory sanitization during all key conversion operations, thereby reducing the attack surface and preventing potential exploitation through memory analysis or side-channel techniques. The fix contributes to the overall security posture of s390-based systems by maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of cryptographic key material throughout all operational states including error conditions.