CVE-2024-50038

netfilter: xtables: avoid NFPROTO_UNSPEC where needed

Published Oct 21, 2024 CVSS 3.1 · 5.5 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved:

netfilter: xtables: avoid NFPROTO_UNSPEC where needed

syzbot managed to call xt_cluster match via ebtables:

WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 11 at net/netfilter/xt_cluster.c:72 xt_cluster_mt+0x196/0x780
[..]
ebt_do_table+0x174b/0x2a40

Module registers to NFPROTO_UNSPEC, but it assumes ipv4/ipv6 packet
processing. As this is only useful to restrict locally terminating
TCP/UDP traffic, register this for ipv4 and ipv6 family only.

Pablo points out that this is a general issue, direct users of the
set/getsockopt interface can call into targets/matches that were only
intended for use with ip(6)tables.

Check all UNSPEC matches and targets for similar issues:

- matches and targets are fine except if they assume skb_network_header()
is valid -- this is only true when called from inet layer: ip(6) stack
pulls the ip/ipv6 header into linear data area.
- targets that return XT_CONTINUE or other xtables verdicts must be
restricted too, they are incompatbile with the ebtables traverser, e.g.
EBT_CONTINUE is a completely different value than XT_CONTINUE.

Most matches/targets are changed to register for NFPROTO_IPV4/IPV6, as
they are provided for use by ip(6)tables.

The MARK target is also used by arptables, so register for NFPROTO_ARP too.

While at it, bail out if connbytes fails to enable the corresponding
conntrack family.

This change passes the selftests in iptables.git.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4008-1 linux-6.1 security update
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7166-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7166-2 Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7166-3 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7166-4 Linux kernel (Xilinx ZynqMP) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7186-1 Linux kernel (Intel IoTG) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7186-2 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7194-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7276-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7277-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7310-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7383-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7383-2 Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7384-1 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7384-2 Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7385-1 Linux kernel (IBM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7386-1 Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7403-1 Linux kernel (HWE) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7451-1 Linux kernel vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7468-1 Linux kernel (Azure, N-Series) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7523-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi Real-time) vulnerabilities
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7524-1 Linux kernel (Raspberry Pi) vulnerabilities
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.0004}

epss

{'score': 0.00042}

Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
CPEs cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:9
Vendors & Products Redhat
Redhat enterprise Linux
Type Values Removed Values Added
Weaknesses CWE-470
Type Values Removed Values Added
First Time appeared Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Weaknesses NVD-CWE-noinfo
CPEs cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:6.12:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
Vendors & Products Linux
Linux linux Kernel
Type Values Removed Values Added
References
Metrics threat_severity

None

cvssV3_1

{'score': 5.5, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H'}

threat_severity

Moderate

Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: netfilter: xtables: avoid NFPROTO_UNSPEC where needed syzbot managed to call xt_cluster match via ebtables: WARNING: CPU: 0 PID: 11 at net/netfilter/xt_cluster.c:72 xt_cluster_mt+0x196/0x780 [..] ebt_do_table+0x174b/0x2a40 Module registers to NFPROTO_UNSPEC, but it assumes ipv4/ipv6 packet processing. As this is only useful to restrict locally terminating TCP/UDP traffic, register this for ipv4 and ipv6 family only. Pablo points out that this is a general issue, direct users of the set/getsockopt interface can call into targets/matches that were only intended for use with ip(6)tables. Check all UNSPEC matches and targets for similar issues: - matches and targets are fine except if they assume skb_network_header() is valid -- this is only true when called from inet layer: ip(6) stack pulls the ip/ipv6 header into linear data area. - targets that return XT_CONTINUE or other xtables verdicts must be restricted too, they are incompatbile with the ebtables traverser, e.g. EBT_CONTINUE is a completely different value than XT_CONTINUE. Most matches/targets are changed to register for NFPROTO_IPV4/IPV6, as they are provided for use by ip(6)tables. The MARK target is also used by arptables, so register for NFPROTO_ARP too. While at it, bail out if connbytes fails to enable the corresponding conntrack family. This change passes the selftests in iptables.git.
Title netfilter: xtables: avoid NFPROTO_UNSPEC where needed
References
Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Linux
Published
Updated
May 11, 2026, 8:44 PM
Reserved
Oct 21, 2024, 12:17 PM
Status
Modified
Published
Oct 21, 2024, 8:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 8:03 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Oct 21, 2024, 12:00 AM