LiveActive security incident?Get immediate response
CVE Record

CVE-2024-26853: igc: avoid returning frame twice in XDP_REDIRECT

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: igc: avoid returning frame twice in XDP_REDIRECT When a frame can not be transmitted in XDP_REDIRECT (e.g. due to a full queue), it is necessary to free it by calling xdp_return_frame_rx_napi. However, this is the responsibility of the caller of the ndo_xdp_xmit (see for example bq_xmit_all in kernel/bpf/devmap.c) and thus calling it inside igc_xdp_xmit (which is the ndo_xdp_xmit of the igc driver) as well will lead to memory corruption. In fact, bq_xmit_all expects that it can return all frames after the last successfully transmitted one. Therefore, break for the first not transmitted frame, but do not call xdp_return_frame_rx_napi in igc_xdp_xmit. This is equally implemented in other Intel drivers such as the igb. There are two alternatives to this that were rejected: 1. Return num_frames as all the frames would have been transmitted and release them inside igc_xdp_xmit. While it might work technically, it is not what the return value is meant to represent (i.e. the number of SUCCESSFULLY transmitted packets). 2. Rework kernel/bpf/devmap.c and all drivers to support non-consecutively dropped packets. Besides being complex, it likely has a negative performance impact without a significant gain since it is anyway unlikely that the next frame can be transmitted if the previous one was dropped. The memory corruption can be reproduced with the following script which leads to a kernel panic after a few seconds. It basically generates more traffic than a i225 NIC can transmit and pushes it via XDP_REDIRECT from a virtual interface to the physical interface where frames get dropped. #!/bin/bash INTERFACE=enp4s0 INTERFACE_IDX=`cat /sys/class/net/$INTERFACE/ifindex` sudo ip link add dev veth1 type veth peer name veth2 sudo ip link set up $INTERFACE sudo ip link set up veth1 sudo ip link set up veth2 cat << EOF > redirect.bpf.c SEC("prog") int redirect(struct xdp_md *ctx) { return bpf_redirect($INTERFACE_IDX, 0); } char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL"; EOF clang -O2 -g -Wall -target bpf -c redirect.bpf.c -o redirect.bpf.o sudo ip link set veth2 xdp obj redirect.bpf.o cat << EOF > pass.bpf.c SEC("prog") int pass(struct xdp_md *ctx) { return XDP_PASS; } char _license[] SEC("license") = "GPL"; EOF clang -O2 -g -Wall -target bpf -c pass.bpf.c -o pass.bpf.o sudo ip link set $INTERFACE xdp obj pass.bpf.o cat << EOF > trafgen.cfg { /* Ethernet Header */ 0xe8, 0x6a, 0x64, 0x41, 0xbf, 0x46, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, const16(ETH_P_IP), /* IPv4 Header */ 0b01000101, 0, # IPv4 version, IHL, TOS const16(1028), # IPv4 total length (UDP length + 20 bytes (IP header)) const16(2), # IPv4 ident 0b01000000, 0, # IPv4 flags, fragmentation off 64, # IPv4 TTL 17, # Protocol UDP csumip(14, 33), # IPv4 checksum /* UDP Header */ 10, 0, 1, 1, # IP Src - adapt as needed 10, 0, 1, 2, # IP Dest - adapt as needed const16(6666), # UDP Src Port const16(6666), # UDP Dest Port const16(1008), # UDP length (UDP header 8 bytes + payload length) csumudp(14, 34), # UDP checksum /* Payload */ fill('W', 1000), } EOF sudo trafgen -i trafgen.cfg -b3000MB -o veth1 --cpp

CriticalCVSS 9.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
Glexia's TakeAutomated analysiscritical

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

A Linux network-driver flaw can corrupt kernel memory and crash affected systems when XDP redirects more traffic to an igc interface than its transmit queue can handle. Exposure is conditional on the igc driver and XDP_REDIRECT configuration; the supplied evidence demonstrates a kernel panic, not remote code execution.

Executive priority

Treat remediation as urgent for network appliances, edge systems, or performance-sensitive hosts using the affected igc/XDP path. Kernel corruption can cause abrupt outages. Prioritize exposure confirmation and vendor kernel updates, while noting that the supplied sources do not report exploitation in the wild.

Technical view

On failed transmission, igc_xdp_xmit returned an XDP frame even though the devmap caller also owned that cleanup. This double return causes memory corruption. The correction stops at the first unsuccessful frame and leaves frame release to the caller, matching the expected ndo_xdp_xmit ownership contract.

Likely exposure

Most likely exposure is on Linux systems using the igc driver, an i225-class interface, and XDP_REDIRECT into that interface under transmit congestion. Systems not using this driver or data path are unlikely to trigger the flaw. Exact distribution package boundaries require vendor verification.

Exploitation context

The supplied record is not in CISA KEV and provides no evidence of exploitation in the wild. It does document a reproducible kernel panic caused by sustained redirected traffic exceeding the physical interface's transmit capacity. The evidence does not establish remote code execution.

Researcher notes

The evidence supports a frame-ownership violation, memory corruption, and denial of service through kernel panic. It does not demonstrate code execution or broader compromise. The normalized version entries do not reliably define every affected distribution build; determine exposure through commit ancestry and vendor backport records.

Mitigation direction

  • Update to a vendor-supported kernel containing the applicable cited stable fix.
  • Confirm the exact fixed package and backport status with your Linux distribution vendor.
  • Until patched, avoid XDP_REDIRECT into affected igc interfaces where operationally feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory Linux hosts using the igc driver and i225-class network adapters.
  • Identify XDP programs redirecting traffic into those physical interfaces.
  • Compare each running kernel build with vendor backport information and the cited stable commits.
  • Review kernel logs for memory-corruption reports or panics associated with affected networking paths.
  • After updating, validate the redirected traffic path under controlled laboratory load.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
6

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.

cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2024-26853 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Critical
CVSS
9.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

1CVSS vectors
3Timeline events
2ADP providers
5Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
9.8CVSS 3.1CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Linux

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

9.8Critical
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2024-26853Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  3. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CVECVE Program Container
CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
LinuxLinux4ff3203610928cac82d5627ce803559e78d61b91, 4ff3203610928cac82d5627ce803559e78d61b91, 4ff3203610928cac82d5627ce803559e78d61b91, 4ff3203610928cac82d5627ce803559e78d61b91unaffected
LinuxLinux5.13, 0, 6.1.82, 6.6.22, 6.7.10, 6.8affected
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.