CVE-2024-50287 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE • 11/19/2024
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:
media: v4l2-tpg: prevent the risk of a division by zero
As reported by Coverity, the logic at tpg_precalculate_line() blindly rescales the buffer even when scaled_witdh is equal to zero. If this ever happens, this will cause a division by zero.
Instead, add a WARN_ON_ONCE() to trigger such cases and return without doing any precalculation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-50287 resides within the Linux kernel's video4linux2 test pattern generator subsystem, specifically in the tpg_precalculate_line() function. This issue represents a classic division by zero error that occurs when the scaled_width parameter equals zero, creating a critical security risk that could potentially be exploited to cause system instability or denial of service. The vulnerability was discovered through static analysis by Coverity, demonstrating the importance of automated code analysis in identifying potential security flaws before they can be maliciously exploited.
The technical flaw manifests in the v4l2-tpg driver's handling of buffer scaling operations where the code does not properly validate input parameters before performing mathematical operations. When scaled_width equals zero, the function attempts to perform division operations without checking for this edge case, leading to a division by zero exception that can crash the kernel or cause unpredictable behavior. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-369, which specifically addresses the division by zero weakness, and represents a fundamental failure in input validation and error handling within kernel space code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability, as it could potentially be leveraged by malicious actors to cause denial of service attacks against systems running affected Linux kernels. The v4l2-tpg driver is commonly used in multimedia applications and video processing systems, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for embedded systems, servers, and devices that rely on video processing capabilities. When triggered, the division by zero condition could result in kernel panics, system crashes, or require system reboots, disrupting normal operations and potentially affecting critical applications that depend on video processing functionality.
The fix implemented for CVE-2024-50287 involves adding a WARN_ON_ONCE() macro to log such erroneous conditions while preventing the actual division by zero through early return from the function when scaled_width equals zero. This approach follows established security practices for handling edge cases in kernel code, where defensive programming techniques are employed to prevent exploitation while maintaining system stability. The solution aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers the use of system resource exhaustion through denial of service attacks, by preventing the specific condition that could lead to such an attack vector. Additionally, this remediation addresses the broader category of kernel security vulnerabilities classified under the Linux kernel security model, where proper input validation and error handling are essential for maintaining system integrity and preventing privilege escalation scenarios that could arise from unhandled exceptions in kernel space code.