Linux Kernel up to 6.11.5 /kernel/bpf/btf.c btf_repeat_fields array index

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.11.5. This impacts the function btf_repeat_fields of the file /kernel/bpf/btf.c. Executing a manipulation can lead to array index. This vulnerability is tracked as CVE-2024-50161. No exploit exists. Upgrading the affected component is advised.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability classified as problematic was found in Linux Kernel up to 6.11.5. This vulnerability affects the function btf_repeat_fields of the file /kernel/bpf/btf.c. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a array index vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-129. The product uses untrusted input when calculating or using an array index, but the product does not validate or incorrectly validates the index to ensure the index references a valid position within the array. The impact remains unknown. CVE summarizes:

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: bpf: Check the remaining info_cnt before repeating btf fields When trying to repeat the btf fields for array of nested struct, it doesn't check the remaining info_cnt. The following splat will be reported when the value of ret * nelems is greater than BTF_FIELDS_MAX: ------------[ cut here ]------------ UBSAN: array-index-out-of-bounds in ../kernel/bpf/btf.c:3951:49 index 11 is out of range for type 'btf_field_info [11]' CPU: 6 UID: 0 PID: 411 Comm: test_progs ...... 6.11.0-rc4+ #1 Tainted: [O]=OOT_MODULE Hardware name: QEMU Standard PC (i440FX + PIIX, 1996), BIOS ... Call Trace: dump_stack_lvl+0x57/0x70 dump_stack+0x10/0x20 ubsan_epilogue+0x9/0x40 __ubsan_handle_out_of_bounds+0x6f/0x80 ? kallsyms_lookup_name+0x48/0xb0 btf_parse_fields+0x992/0xce0 map_create+0x591/0x770 __sys_bpf+0x229/0x2410 __x64_sys_bpf+0x1f/0x30 x64_sys_call+0x199/0x9f0 do_syscall_64+0x3b/0xc0 entry_SYSCALL_64_after_hwframe+0x4b/0x53 RIP: 0033:0x7fea56f2cc5d ...... ---[ end trace ]--- Fix it by checking the remaining info_cnt in btf_repeat_fields() before repeating the btf fields.

The advisory is available at git.kernel.org. This vulnerability was named CVE-2024-50161 since 10/21/2024. The exploitation appears to be difficult. Technical details are known, but there is no available exploit. The structure of the vulnerability defines a possible price range of USD $0-$5k at the moment (estimation calculated on 10/02/2025).

The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 216493 (Ubuntu 24.10 : Linux kernel vulnerabilities (USN-7276-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment.

Upgrading to version 6.11.6 eliminates this vulnerability. Applying the patch 6f957d972fee/797d73ee232d is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at git.kernel.org. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version.

The vulnerability is also documented in the vulnerability database at Tenable (216493). If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

Productinfo

Type

• Operating System

Vendor

• Linux

Name

• Kernel

Version

• 6.11.0
• 6.11.1
• 6.11.2
• 6.11.3
• 6.11.4
• 6.11.5

License

• open-source

Website

• Vendor: https://www.kernel.org/

CPE 2.3info

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CPE 2.2info

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Entryinfo

If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.

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