CVE-2024-50237 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 11/09/2024
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
wifi: mac80211: do not pass a stopped vif to the driver in .get_txpower
Avoid potentially crashing in the driver because of uninitialized private data
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-50237 resides within the Linux kernel's mac80211 wireless subsystem, specifically addressing a critical flaw in how virtual interface (vif) objects are handled during transmission power retrieval operations. This issue manifests when the wireless driver receives a reference to a stopped virtual interface during the .get_txpower callback execution, potentially leading to system instability or crashes due to access to uninitialized private data structures. The mac80211 subsystem serves as the core wireless framework in Linux, managing multiple virtual interfaces for wireless network operations and coordinating with device drivers to handle various wireless functionalities including transmission power control.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation of virtual interface states before processing driver callbacks. When a wireless interface is stopped or deactivated, its private data structures may not be properly initialized or may contain stale data that becomes invalid upon driver interaction. The .get_txpower function in the mac80211 framework attempts to query transmission power information from the driver without first verifying that the associated virtual interface is in a valid operational state. This flaw creates a condition where uninitialized memory pointers or corrupted data structures are passed to the driver layer, potentially causing memory access violations, null pointer dereferences, or other undefined behaviors that can result in kernel crashes or system instability. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476 which addresses null pointer dereference conditions, and represents a classic case of improper state validation in kernel space operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-50237 extends beyond simple system crashes to potentially compromise wireless network connectivity and overall system stability in environments where wireless interfaces are actively managed. Systems utilizing wireless networking capabilities, particularly those running kernel versions affected by this vulnerability, may experience unexpected service interruptions when wireless interfaces are stopped or transition between operational states. The vulnerability affects any wireless driver that implements the .get_txpower callback method and is particularly concerning in embedded systems, mobile devices, and server environments where wireless interfaces are frequently activated and deactivated. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to cause denial of service conditions, forcing wireless services to crash and requiring system restarts, while in more sophisticated scenarios the uninitialized data access patterns could potentially be leveraged for information disclosure or privilege escalation depending on the specific driver implementation and system context.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-50237 primarily involve applying the patched kernel version that implements proper validation checks before passing virtual interface references to driver callbacks. System administrators should prioritize updating to kernel versions that contain the fix, which typically includes a validation step that checks whether the virtual interface is in a valid operational state before proceeding with the .get_txpower operation. The fix implements a state check mechanism that prevents passing stopped or invalid vif objects to the driver, ensuring that only properly initialized interfaces are processed. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions to detect unusual wireless interface behavior patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, and consider implementing kernel lockdown features or other security hardening measures. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability relates to T1068 which covers privilege escalation through kernel exploits, and T1499 which addresses network denial of service attacks. The mitigation approach should include regular kernel updates, proper access controls for wireless interface management, and comprehensive system monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts or system instability indicators. Additionally, organizations should review their wireless network configurations to minimize unnecessary interface activation and deactivation cycles that could increase exposure to this vulnerability.